This is a guest post by Denise Gorss.
I recently came across this video of a Slinky on a treadmill and found it surprisingly meditative. Part of that is due to the music, but the repetition of motion made me find a spiritual lesson. Each time the toy starts to veer off the treadmill path, it corrects its course and continues its walk. Aren’t we called to do the same?
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I think that I could just keep watching and watching – meditative indeed! Wow Denise, thank you!
You’re welcome, Fran.
This sort of thing always makes me marvel at the different ways God has made our minds work. I have never been the sort of person who would look at a clock and, being so fascinated at how it worked, decide to take it apart. It’s the same with this. Who would think; “aren’t slinkies fun? I wonder how they would perform on a treadmill!”?
Simon, I never took apart a clock either, but that may be more because I knew I’d never get it back together. I love watching the inner movements when clock or watch parts are encased in glass, though.
What really fascinated me is that the treadmill is outside on the patio! I agree with Simon that the human mind is the most amazing thing; while I have taken many things apart to find out how they work (much to the chagrin of my parents when I was a child), I would never have thought of putting a slinky on a treadmill. But this has the potential to be meditative if I could only stop looking at the flaws in the mat on the treadmill.
Lynda, I was so busy watching the Slinky that I missed the treadmill was outside! As to looking at the flaws in the mat, those are part of the meditation too, no?
As I was mesmerized by the slinky going on and on and on, I all of a sudden thought…”Maybe I put the clothes that are hanging on our treadmill away and actually start walking.”
Yes Denise, when we veer off the path, we are all called to it correct our course to keep going towards our goal, which is to be with God. Great find, many thanks.
Tim, in light of Lynda’s observation above, I hope your treadmill is at least indoors.
Thank you for this reflection. I’ve recently veered off course and now live changes I hadn’t anticipated. But our loving Lord will draw goodness out of this too!
Maureen, may the Spirit guide you through the changes.
Denise, you have, absolutely, the most extraordinary gift for finding God in all things!
Thank you for sharing this video. It was fun to watch. For me — to the extent that I was able to gather a spiritual lesson from this — I was struck by the contrast betwen the repetitveness, the monotony of the slinky continuing to try and move forward but getting nowhere on the treadmill, and the dramatic music making it seem like this was a heroic battle. Maybe there is heroism, and drama, and courage, in us ordinary folks doing ordinary, repetitive tasks, not seeming to move forward, but just trying to keep moving and stay on the right path and not let the treadmill overwhelm us?
Meh. I think I’m reading too much into a slinky. Anyway — thank you for sharing your gift with us this morning. Can’t wait to see what other videos await us this week.
Denise J
Denise, thank you! And I think there is much drama and courage in living ordinary lives the best we can.
What IS the music played in this video? Thank you. LH
According to the original YouTube page, the music is “Lost But Not Forgotten.”
Denise, we are at the “slinky” part of my course in quantum mechanics. I’ll have to play this for my students. I loved it, but I also immediately started thinking about the physics that helps it self-correct. What are the forces acting on that slinky? Of course, that’s a frequent problem in prayer for me, so I shouldn’t be suprised.
Thanks for helping me think about staying on track even when I’m being stretched!
Michelle, your question, “What are the forces acting on that slinky?” works for both physics and spiritual aspects. But physics was one of my weakest subjects, so I wouldn’t dare to try to explain that side of the video!
It works as a meditation on so many levels – brilliant!
I love slinkys. I was struck by its getting no where, but still kept going. Sometimes in my spiritual life I feel like I’m getting no where,but a person or thing(slinky) really helps me. Thank-you Denise.
You’re welcome, Josephine.
This reallillustrates the need and the value boundaries. Thanks Denise. I smiled more than once thinking it must have been fun to make.
I meant really illustrates…:) of boundaries. My keys were sticking!
Sticking keys may be the basis for another meditation.
I don’t know about the making of the video, but I’ve been having fun talking about it with you all today.
I veered off completely forgetting the slinky and treadmill. It all showed the futility of the day to day struggles of this life. Then, I saw a man, standing in the center of a potters wheel, piece of twine attached to him. As the wheel turns, the twine encases him, slowly forcing him into bondage. Modern man wrapped ever more tightly, not knowing that to free himself, he need only begin to turn around and loosen those bounds, or turn off the treadmill.
Emma, it seems your veering off brought you back to the treadmill message after all.
We are, indeed, the Slinkys of God!
It reminded me of how sometimes I walk.
Just keep plodding along. One foot after another.
Thank you, Denise.
Beaut-if-ul
Jim, Carol, and Liti, thank you for adding your comments. I’m pleased to see that the Slinky video meant something to many of you.
Without words, this spoke to my soul! It is the answer to the fervent prayers I have been praying for peace and perseverance in the face of a loved one’s attempts to get me to deny my faith. I did say a “loved one”, didn’t I? Hmmm, there is another spiritual insight from your wonderful slinky on the treadmill. Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to share this with us. MUCH food for meditation. Blessings and thanks!