*This is from the uASF archives– the original poster obtained it from a website but did not post the link. For a more complete version of this test look for the book ‘The Cube: Keep the Secret’ by Annie Gottlieb.*
Instructions: Print out this page, and fill out. or just write the answers on a piece of paper. I’t’s very important that you don’t look ahead and just work on the questions in order, and not skip around. This requires imagination and the ability to visualize clearly. It’s easy to relax and then read the questions slowly and just write down what comes to mind. When it asks to desribe, also put down how it makes you feel, if you can. Also, instincts are very important, and whatever your intuition says, put it down, even if it’s not relavent at the time. After i saw the first sentance of each question, there are other little questions that follow, you do not nessesarily have to answer all of them, but they help more in determining the outcome and what it all means.
NOTE: If you can’t picture something, don’t force it, try again, but don’t force yourself to see it. if not, put down that you can’t see it. that could be just as important as seeing something.
1) Imagine desert.Describe what’s in the desert. This can be a real desert, one in pictures, or just one of fantasy. Are there objects in your desert? How big is it? What time of day is it? are you in the desert or just looking at it? How does it make you feel? Write down everything about it below.
2) In this desert there is a cube.Describe the cube as best you can. How big is it? What is it made out of (if you can tell)? What color is it? What texture? Is it hollow or solid? How far is it from your point of view? What position is it in? Also, write down 5 adjectives to describe the cube, and the “mood” it conveys, as well as the physical qualities.
3) Now in this desert, there is a ladder, as well.Describe the ladder. What is it made out of? Where is it in relation to the cube? How big is it?
4) There is a horse in this desert, also.Describe the horse. What kind of horse is it? What color? Where is it? What is it doing? Does it have a saddle, a bridle, or anything? If so, what kind? How is it in relation to the Cube?
5) Somewhere in this desert is a storm.What kind of storm is it? Where do you see it? Does it affect the Cube, Ladder, And Horse? (If so, how?)
6) And, finally, in this desert there are flowers.Where are the flowers? Are there many? or few? What color? What kind?
That’s it! that was the test! now each of those things you filled out means something, it each represents something in your life. Click the link to bring you to the page where it all is explained.
What It All Means!!!
Look at all that you have written down. Even if you have just imagined it and haven’t written it down, just make sure you remember it all.
The Master Key
The Cube is You. your symbolic self-portrait. (The adjectives you wrote down desribe yourself!)
The Ladder represents your friends, and co-workers.
The Horse represents your lover/life partner.
The Storm is trouble/upset/worry/challenge.
The Flowers are children, not nessisarily little people, but whatever you create and nurture in life.
The Desert represents your life, and view of the world.
Since this is probably the most important thing in the test to know about, this page is the longest and may be hard to find what you’re looking for, but, again, a book on the menaings of dreams helps a lot with what some things mean.
Size of Cube
Small (if cube is smaller than knee-high, usually)Positives ~ humility, selflessness, objectivity, realism, intimacy, preciousnessNegatives ~ timidy, undervaluing of self, literal-mindedness, conventionality, concealment, pettiness
Medium (within human scale , from knee hieght to as high as you can reach)Positives ~ balance, warmth, modesty, self-respect, humanismNegatives ~ Awareness, health or body image problems
Large (higher than you can reach)Positive ~ confidence, self-esteem, generosity, subjectivity, aspiration, adventurousnessNegatives ~ egotism, grandiosity, self-importance, self-absorption, domination
Nearness to Viewer
Far From Cubedeliberates before acting, watched themself, rational self-control, self-denial, indendent, standoffish, likes soltude, needs lots of space, abstract, big-pictured oriented, visual thinker, takes long view, memory and planning, focus on the wide world
Near Cube ~ spontanious, emotional, impulsive, quick-tempered, intimate, cozy, sociable, likes company, with people, concrete thinking, detail-oriented, tactile thinker, reacts to immediate, lives in present, focus on what’s right there.
Soft Cube ~ nurturing, forgiving, adaptableFirm ~ definate, stubborn, opinionatedSolid ~ jam-packed life and agendaHollow ~ openness to suggestionlight ~ takes life lightlyheavy ~ takes life seriouslyshiny ~ ambitiousmatte ~ not driven to dazzletransparent ~ candor, nothing to hidetranslucent ~ attractively myserious, doesn’t reveal all but shows emotionopaque ~ guard privacy, slow to reveal selves, or trust others
What it’s made of.
Air, space ~ merging, permeable, no boundariesBlack Slab ~ transformer, advancedCastle/Fortress ~ guarded, cautiousClay/ceramic/terra cotta ~ permeable, earthy, coolCloud ~ purity, unsullied by ordinary realityCrystal ~ spiritualDiamond ~ illuination, bright, confident in own waysDice ~ Gambler, risk-takerDrawing (line drawing of cube) ~ intellectuallizationEdges ~ boundaries, if cube’s edges are marked noticablyFabric ~ domestic (notice what kind of fabric)Food ~ appetites, lover of good fod, hungryGlass ~ open, candid, factual, fragile(if mirror, means reflecting of other people)(if colored, or stained glass, means spiritual, or artistic)House ~ sheltering, nurturingIce ~ self-possessed, poised, resourceful, calm in crisis(note: the first time i did this i imagined an ice cube, because when i heard the word that was the first thing i thought of)Jeweled ~ preciousMetal ~ (depends on what kind and trait of kind of metal) tough, bright, tested, indestructible, impenetrablePalace ~ entitlementPlastic ~ unpretentious, blue-collar, honest, traditional, democraticRubber ~ Humor, playful, energeticRobik’s Cube ~ Ingenuity, versitile, cleverSmoke ~ mysterySpaceship ~ stranger, aloneStone ~ substantial, reliable, principled, stubborn, conservativeWater ~ emotional, intuitiveFinished Wood ~ Cultured, refined, sensitiveRaw Wood ~ natural, creative
Color of Cube
Red ~ Passion, hot energy, anger, warmthGreen ~ hope, life, nature, moneyBlue ~ spirituality, serenity, cool energy, sadnessPurple ~ royalty, deep passions, mourningYellow ~ cheerfulness, brightness, eccentricityPink ~ femininity, warmthBrown ~ earthyness, warmth, conventionalityBlack ~ mysteryWhite ~ purityMulticolored ~ of many interest or moods
Since the ladder represents friends, it doesn’t nessesarily mean just that. It could mean how your friends affect you, how you percieve your friends, or even how they percieve you.
What the ladder is made out of,is usually compared to the cube. is it stronger than the cube? Weaker? if it is very different material than the cube, just how different is it? what does this say about your friendships and relations? this might help a little, as well:
Wooden Ladders ~ sentimental, warmth, rickety, or wobly ladders means unreliable, or ailing people.if there are broken or missing rungs, usually people have died or not as close as they used to be. some of these traits are from ladders made of wood:
Positives ~ warm, loyal, comfortable, brings heart to work, company loyalty, bonds with teamatesNegatives ~ easily hurt, a sucker for hard-luck stories, overly tolerant, too undemanding, puts relationships before performance, schmoozes on jobs
Metal Ladders ~ practicality, strong, tough,Positives ~ chooses wisely, relies on friends, returns the favor, builds strong community, stresses performance, chooses reliable people, excellent networker, builds strong organizationNegatives ~ chooses coolly, uses friends, unsympathetic, can move on, impersonal, demands too much, downsizer, views people as stepping stones to success
Rope Ladders ~ mobility, adventurous, nomadic, flexible but strongPositive ~ attached for life, will save life, will give freedom, adventurous, versitile, independentNegative ~ Far away, out of touch for long periods, must be free to leave at will, restless, dilettantish, detatched
If made with anything else look up in Cube section to explain.
Other types are:Branches ~ alternativeCut into Cube ~ siblingExtension Ladder ~ reservesPaint Splettered ~ collaborationSpiral staircase ~ on gain/off again relationshipsStep-ladder ~ independence, dualityTwo Ladders ~ clear distinction between close friends and acquaintances
POSITION OF LADDER
Leaning on Cube ~ mutual support, easy intimacy, “people person”FreeStanding ~near cube: closeness but independentaway from cube: distant, private, self-sufficient
Connecting floating Cube to Ground ~ grounding you from your ideas and dreams, but in a good wayLying Down ~ hanging out, comfort, slackersInside Cube ~ trust, merging, possessivenessDescending underground ~ kidden, illicit, subconcious
Size Of Ladder
ladder hieght is based on hieght of cube
same hieght ~ equalityshorter ~ dominance, influence, leadership over friends (what you possess)taller ~ admiration, humility, service, opportunism (what you possess)
The horse, even though it represents your partner or lover, it doesn’t always mean the one you are with now. it could be who your true love is, or someone you know that you perceive will be your soulmate.
WHAT KIND OF HORSE?
Arabian ~ elegant FireBlack ~ romantic passionBrown, bay ~ normality, warmthCamel ~ endurance, in it for the haulChestnut ~ warmth, passion, temperDonkey/Mule ~ affectionate, exasperationFlying (pegasus) ~ transport, “takes you away”Grey ~ cool, matureJumper ~ acheivementMare ~ motherly, sensitive, temperamentalMultiple Horses ~ a roving eyeMustang ~ streetwisePalomino ~ goldenPinto, spotted ~ contrastsPony ~ pet, cuteStallion ~ bold dominant, assertive, adventurousThoroughbred ~ competitionTwo Horses ~ torn between two loversUnicorn~ purity, enchantmentWhite ~ IdealizationWorkhorse ~ responsibility
Saddle ~ domesticNone ~ freedomFancy Trappings ~ romantic
LOCATION OF HORSE
Standing by Cube ~ commitment, companionshipTied to cube ~ hitched, boundCircling Cube ~ satellite, guardianOn top of Cube ~ supported, honored, dominant, hostageLicking Cube ~ Affectionate, demonstrativeInside Cube ~ fantasy, fusion, possessionNear Ladder ~ friendsBeing ridden by you ~ In separableBeing ridden by someone else ~ inner-directedLying Down ~ relaxed, lazy, tired, ill, weakActing up, or Scared by storm ~ high-strung, in crisisIn background ~ a life of their ownLeaving the picture ~ on the way outGrazing ~ nourished, devouringHungry/Thirsty ~ starving for attentionDead ~ ” Too Late”No Horse ~ SolitudeInanimate Horses ~ unsatisfactory, plaything
Since the storm represents trouble and problems in life, it makes a lot of difference what kind of storm, where it is in the desert and how it affects the other features in the desert.
KIND OF STORM
Clouds ~ depression, apprehensionRain ~ sadness, grief, discouragementWind ~ opposition, oppurtunityThunder ~ Conflict, AngerLightning ~ BreakthroughTornado ~ unpredictable, violence, traumaDust Devils ~ annoyances, psychological quirksSandstorms ~ painful, confusing, overwhelmingSnowstorms ~ oppurtunityRainbows ~ relief, hope, success
LOCATION OF STORM
Behing viewer, or Cube ~ in the pastComming closer ~ approachingHere, now ~ present, recentInside Cube ~ inner turmoilOn the horizon ~ it’s inevitable but not on the mindOut of Sight ~ good fortune, denial
HOW IT AFFECTS CUBE, LADDER, AND/ OR HORSE
Blown away ~ devastation, means what it saysBuried under sand ~ overwhelming troublesErosion or pitting ~ wearing downFlooding ~ filled with emotionHorse Freaks out ~ high strung, or over burdened loverHorse huddles by Cube ~ lover depends on youHorse/Ladder taken inside cube ~ you are protective, generous and nurturingHorse lies down ~ lover lies low in crisisHorse Runs Away ~ lover can’t be counted on in crisisLadder Broken ~ friendship disrupted by troubleLadder hovers over Cube ~ you relyon friend as protectorLadder knocked down ~ you are helpless and friends must stand on own feet firstLadder sheltered by Cube ~ you look out for friends in crisisStruck by Lightening ~ mean you have suffered a shock or blow, or, had a brainstormWater Damage ~ sadness, greifThe desert Blooms ~ renewal
The book says that it represents children, or children of our mind/body, which is what we love and nurture, such as a hobby or even pets. Some flowers resembles “children” some flowers stand for feelings towards “children” or just the quality of them.
TYPE OF FLOWER
Anemone ~ forsakenAzalea ~ protectiveness, fragileCactus ~ EnduranceCarnation ~ unforgettableChrysanrhemum ~ leisure, optimism, long life, happinessCrocus ~ cheerfulnessDaffodil ~ sunnyDaisy ~ innocence, purityDandalion ~ faithfulness, happinessForget-Me-Not ~ true love, memoriesForsythia ~ antisipationGeranium ~ stupidity, follishnessGladiolus ~ sincerity, strength of characterIris ~ faith, hope, promiseLily ~ purity, motherhoodLily of the Valley ~ sweetness, humility,returning happinessMarigold ~ cruelty, greif, jealousyNarcissus ~ vanity, self-absorbtionOrchid ~ thoughts, ideasPetunia ~ resentment, anger, or soothing of those feelingsPointsetta ~ FestivityPoppy ~ sleep, oblkvian, fantasyRose ~ love, or, if yellow, friendshipTulip ~ imagination, perfection, luck, fameViolet ~ modesty, simplicity, faithfulnessWater Lillies ~ DevotionWildflowers ~ spontaneity, freedomZinnia ~ rememberance, constancy, lasting affection
Artificial/Plstic ~ appearance of success but without riskDead Flowers ~ days of “children” over
LOCATION OF FLOWERS
By base of Cube ~ under your wingAround Cube ~ like closeness of manyOn top of Cube ~ on your back,. living on youGrowing all over Cube ~ depending on youInside Cube ~ could mean pregnancy, nurtured, protected, possessedCut Flowers in Vase ~ disconnected, on displayIn foreground ~ first and foremostIn garden or oasis ~ freedom with safety, well-provided-forUnder a Tree ~ sheltered, but independentGrowing on a tree ~ MiraclesNear ladder ~ you think of friends aas children sometimesUnder horse ~ protected by partnerOn the horse ~ your partner’s prizeEaten by horse ~ a demanding lover, competitionUnder storm ~ troubledFalling from sky ~ inspirationScattered randomly ~ on their ownIn patches ~ dabbler, eclecticIn a field ~ a faithful followingNo flowers ~ a dry spell, childless
The desert represents your life, and how you look at the world. it’s probably the most important, next to the cube. In the book, it is the most explained since there are so many different deserts that poeple have in their minds. Nothing you put in your desert is there by accident. It all represents something. That something may be personal and meaingful to you. But there are common features that show up a lot of deserts that can represent the foloowing.
CACTI ~ usually difficult people, or other difficulties, but because of the humanoid shape, mostly referes to a humans or many as the case may be.
PALM TREES ~ sources of support, shelter, and nourishment.
WATER ~ emotional nurishment, the presence of feeling or love.
MIRAGES ~ life’s illusions. could be good, such as a good imagination, or bad, as in being lied to, and untrusting.
DUNES ~ sensuality, especially for a woman, (notice how DUNE and NUDE are anagrams of eachother), satisfying love life, pleasure.
MOUNTAINS ~ spirituality, snowcapped could mean that you chooose to keep a spiritual perspective in sight.
CLIFFS AND/OR GULLIES ~ dramatic events, or emotional highs and lows
BARE DESERT ~ sign of extreme self-reliance. independence.
TIME OF DAY ~ may indicate time of life, portraying the mood, or just to give a better background of the world.
Most of what is in the desert is based on how you feel about it and what comes to mind when you think of the features in your desert.
All of this information given on these pages about the Cube game, has been taken from the bookSECRETS OF THE CUBEby Annie Gottlieb and Slobodan D. Pesic
There is much much much more information if you are interested and more elaboration on a lot of the explanations of what i put on these pages.
Even though, you already by now know what each of the things in the desert represent, you can stll play the game over again, after a while, because, of course, everything changes with time. I’ve done this over 10 times probably. It’s very relaxing. ‘ve gone from an ice cube, to a metal cube to a tiny chipped cube to a large mirrored carpetted cube, so, everything can definately change.
Another thing to know about. The representations of some things may not be what they are to you. it’s really apersonal way of looking at whatever it is that you are seeing. if seeing a glass cube doesn’t mean that you are see through and you believe it’s because you are firm, but open, then that’s what it means. it’s really according to your point of view.
I hope you had fun with this. Everytime i “cube” someone, i get so amazed at the different answers that some people come up with for stuff. like one of my friends had a staircase of cubes, and another’s horse was peeing on the flowers (i don’t even want to go into what that could have meant) but have fun with it!