Faeries Oracle

Card 31 - UnDressing of a Salad

Balance. Avoiding extremes. Achieving the impossible. Being impossible.

Brian called this painting The Dressing of a Salad, but in an earlier stage of the Good Bad Faeries manuscript it was The Undressing of a Salad. I've combined the names because they show us important aspects of the card. The dressing of a salad requires a good balance - disparate elements must blended into a tasty whole. The undressing of a salad requires truly remarkable adroitness. At first, one might think it impossible, but Adroito, whom we see busily balancing magical balls, is the Faery of Doing Impossible Things. He is also the Faery of Being Impossible and the Faery of Avoiding Extremes. Sound impossible? Well, of course it is.

Both Adroito and Sally (crouched above him) are intently focused on balancing things, and the large gnome in the center finds this very amusing. He looks in two directions at once, seeing the impossibility of keeping things that are in constant motion in balance at all times - like the juggling act of life. Of course we fall out of balance. Of course we occasionally drop the ball. Sometimes we drop the ball (or a bird flies by and snatches it from us) and we just have to invent another one. Sometimes this seems as impossible as undressing a salad.

There are times when we have to turn bad luck into good - and good luck into bad. Everything is integrating and disintegrating at the same time. Confusion is rife, but we still try to create order and put things into balance. The whole universe is hurtling through time at an astonishing rate, and it is very difficult to keep balance on a rapidly moving object, especially as it appears to lurch unpredictably from time to time: Sooner or later Adroito or Sally (or both) will drop their balls. The sulky-looking fellow on the left is clearly waiting to snatch one or two so that he can play, too - or maybe just so that Adroito and Sally cannot. My money is on Adroito, though. He is smart enough to realize that old balls wear out and new ones must be brought into play. He is ready to deal with this. The balance changes constantly, but it is still balance.

Starter Reading

Things are in motion and the outcome is impossible to predict. A cool head is required to deal with this, as is a readiness to jump in whatever direction seems appropriate. Exercise cool judgment while staying ready for the unpredictable. Sudden changes of fortune may appear good or bad, but they are in flux and can be rechanneled if necessary. Develop poise, stay calm. You can come out a winner here, but it is likely to take concentrated effort. Use power with delicacy and discretion.

Reversed

Imbalance occurs. Confusion happens. Lovely balls fall on the floor, and we discover that they are uncooked eggs. Sleight of hand may be happening and things that appear to be so are not - and vice versa. Misdirection may be prevalent. Attempts at overcontrol may be contributing to the problem. Someone may be attempting unethical or unkind manipulations.

However, it is worth remembering that out of chaos we can sometimes create miracles. After all, Unity (Card l) created the whole universe that way.

Faery Guides and Guardians