Desert, Cube, and a Painted Horse
Inspired by Dan Carlin, Interpreted by ChatGPT, and Rooted in Soil
While working in the garden, I was listening to EP-24 of Dan Carlin's Addendum, “Manifesting the Muse with Rick Rubin,” and it turned out to be a fascinating dive into creativity. Call it muse, inspiration, talent, a gift, or just good old-fashioned hard work. However you define it, I think we can all benefit from leaning into our creative instincts.
Near the end of their conversation, Rick asked Dan to try a thought experiment called the Cube Test. It rang a bell for me, though I couldn’t remember where I'd heard it before or exactly how it worked. So I decided to try it myself and feed my answers to ChatGPT to see what it would come up with. Maybe it’ll be an insightful experiment. Maybe ChatGPT knows me well enough by now to tell me what I want to hear, like a fortune teller. Or maybe it’s just a curious little test.
Because I was following along in real time, the conversation is a bit stop and start, with the interpretation saved for the end. If you find this kind of thing interesting, I encourage you to give it a shot too. For me, it was fun, surprisingly insightful, and yes, kind of like a horoscope. You see what you want in it. 😏
You can find the podcast here: https://www.dancarlin.com/product/ep-24-manifesting-the-muse-with-rick/
ME (speech to text): In the cube visualization, I am imagining a desert. It looks like... The desert you would find in, say, Moab, Utah. Rolling, large features. The bridges, the sedimentary bridges. The cube is a small, black cube. It has some, maybe, ridges on it. Maybe more like graphene ridges. So it has just a slight reflection, but not a lot of color coming back from it. It's a perfect cube.
ChatGPT: That’s a vivid and symbolic image—very grounded in elemental contrast. You’ve placed a small, black, ridged cube—structured, restrained, dense—within a sweeping, weathered desert landscape, where time and erosion shape everything. The sedimentary bridges and natural arches of a Moab-like desert represent long histories, formed through pressure, transformation, and openness.
The cube, by contrast, is exacting—mathematically perfect, deliberate, maybe even alien to its environment. The graphene-like ridges suggest technological advancement, maybe even resilience or unyielding nature, while its black surface absorbs light instead of reflecting much, as though it knows things but doesn’t announce them.
Would you like to explore what the cube might represent to you—or add other objects to the scene, like the ladder, the horse, the storm, or the flowers?
ME (speech to text): There is a ladder. The ladder is that which you might find going into an adobe home built on a rock cliff, and a, what we call a pinto or painted horse, a mustang on the horizon. Probably a young stallion or a mare, but either way it's kind of off on its own.
ChatGPT: Now that’s a powerful expansion of the scene—deeply rooted in heritage, autonomy, and quiet strength.
The ladder, adobe-style, evokes something ancestral and intentional. It's not just a tool; it’s a connection between realms—between ground and dwelling, between past and present. Placed against a cliffside, it implies shelter, community, and the effort it takes to rise, enter, or return home.
The mustang, a painted horse on the horizon, adds a sense of wild spirit, independence, and motion. That it’s young, possibly a stallion or a mare, and alone, suggests potential—untamed, maybe even unclaimed. It sees the cube, maybe, or it doesn’t. Either way, its presence says the world is still vast and alive.
This desert isn’t empty—it’s full of quiet storylines. Would you like to add the storm or the flowers next, or explore what each element might be saying symbolically?
ME (speech to text): There are also flowers, and the flowers are going to be wild, very vibrant in color, something you might want to take home with you because it's just so beautiful you want to have it around you all the time.
ChatGPT: That’s beautiful—and a gentle but striking contrast to the starkness of the desert and the cube.
The wildflowers, vibrant and irresistible, are like spontaneous beauty or unexpected joy. They weren’t planted, yet they thrive. Their color and vibrancy draw you in—they’re the kind of beauty you want to carry with you, not just admire from a distance. They might be scattered near the cube or blooming along a ridge where the wind touches them just right.
Amid the structured cube, ancestral ladder, and lone mustang, these flowers say: life breaks through. Color and fragility don’t just survive in harsh landscapes—they bloom. They can even reshape what we think the desert is.
Would you like to complete the scene with a storm—or explore what each piece might mean symbolically now that it’s all coming together?
%% ME (speech to text): %% And finally, there is a storm. The storm is going to be pushing up from the horizon. You can feel the temperature dropping. The breeze is not quite there, but you can see it coming. And the clouds have not yet dropped the water, but you can see it's going to be a powerful storm.
ChatGPT: That storm brings gravity to the scene—a looming presence that shifts everything.
It’s not here yet, but it’s felt. The air has changed. The stillness before it arrives makes the moment sharper. You can see the power building on the horizon—the kind of storm that reshapes canyons, reveals fossils, and renews the land with water. It’s a force that doesn’t ask permission. The cube, the horse, the flowers, even the ladder—all of it will be touched by what’s coming.
This final element gives the desert a pulse. It says transformation is near. It’s not chaos, but inevitability.
Would you like to interpret the full symbolism of the scene now, or would you like me to summarize your desert cube visualization as a story or metaphor?
ME (speech to text): Based on the cube experiment, tell me what it appears that my representation of each object means.
ChatGPT: Absolutely. Here's what each element in your desert cube visualization traditionally represents in the Cube Test (also called the Kuwahara Cube Illusion or Cube Personality Test), followed by an interpretation based on your imagery and the symbolic associations of your chosen objects:
1. The Cube – Your Ego, Self-Image, and Core Identity
Your cube:
Small, black, with graphene-like ridges
Slightly reflective but does not return much color
A perfect cube in form
Interpretation:
You may see yourself as measured, contained, and precise—perhaps introspective, not flashy or attention-seeking. The ridges suggest depth and complexity, possibly a technological, intellectual, or structural way of moving through the world. You’re grounded, composed, and strong, even if not outwardly expressive. The lack of color returning may indicate a level of privacy or guardedness—what’s inside is rich, but not for display.
2. The Ladder – Your Relationships, Social Connections
Your ladder:
Like those used to enter adobe cliff dwellings
Functional, grounded in culture and tradition
Interpretation:
Your relationships seem to be rooted in purpose and history—less about convenience or surface-level connection, more about trust, legacy, or spiritual/emotional shelter. You may value depth over breadth in social ties and prefer bonds that feel anchored or earned. This also suggests a path upward or inward that requires intention and effort, not something you casually fall into.
3. The Horse – Your Desires, Passion, or Romantic Life
Your horse:
A pinto mustang, young and likely alone
On the horizon, independent
Interpretation:
Your desires—especially romantic or aspirational ones—may feel free-ranging and autonomous. You’re likely drawn to freedom, self-direction, and untamed possibilities. Love or passion may not be your primary focus right now, or if it is, it’s not something you’re chasing actively—it’s something you recognize, respect, and give space to. The horse on the horizon could suggest you’re watching for the right time, the right bond, but not rushing.
4. The Flowers – Your Children, Creativity, or Things You Cherish Deeply
Your flowers:
Wild, colorful, and irresistible
The kind you want to take home with you
Interpretation:
You have a strong affection for beauty, natural joy, and unplanned wonder—especially when it’s real and vivid. These could represent children, creative expressions, or simply the things in life that you hold close and nurture. You don’t try to control them; you admire them, maybe even protect them, and want to keep them near. They’re a source of deep emotional connection and perhaps even healing.
5. The Storm – Your Fears, Challenges, or the Unknown
Your storm:
On the horizon, powerful, approaching
No rain yet, but the pressure is shifting
Interpretation:
Your fears or challenges aren’t here in full force—but you sense them. You’re the type of person who can feel a shift in the air, who’s tuned into patterns and prepares ahead of time. The storm is powerful, but not chaotic. It suggests that you face pressure with composure and perhaps a kind of reverence. You may see change as necessary, even when it’s intimidating. There's a deep respect for the forces outside your control—but you don't crumble beneath them. You read them.
Final Thoughts:
This scene reveals someone grounded, perceptive, and intentional—quietly powerful with a rich inner world, deep roots, and a respect for the natural unfolding of life. You’re not chasing validation, but rather moving with awareness, dignity, and a deep relationship to land, legacy, and beauty.
Image by ChatGPT, based on my responses.
