The art of tea leaf reading or tasseography goes back several centuries. People used it to attempt to predict their fortunes and their perils.
This practice continues to be rather popular today and is an amusing pastime at any rate.
Of course, to enjoy this activity, you have to know how to read tea leaves. If this is something you are interested in, you will love this guide.
Here you will be able to unlock all the secrets of tasseography and try your hand at it.
Contents
So, what is tea leaf reading?
This term can be translated almost directly as “cup writing”.
It’s where people look at the dregs of their teacups and attempt to identify the symbols and their associated meanings.
Now, the actual origins of tasseography are unclear. However, shortly after tea became available to the British public, tea leaf reading soon followed.
The activity took off during Victorian times when Roma people would go to houses, parlors, and tearooms to read people their fortunes.
It should be noted that tea leaf reading isn't a science. In fact, for the most part, it is up for interpretation.
This is true whether you are reading your own tea leaves or having a specialist do it for you.
Due to this, it is best not to put too much stock in what your tea leaves tell you. It is far better to enjoy it as a fun activity instead.
The tea leaves in your cup are supposed to form a certain shape or image. You will be able to reveal details about your situation or future by depicting what these mean.
First, you have to familiarize yourself with these symbols:
Air-bound Objects (airplanes, balloons, etc.): unsuccessful projects
Anchor: luck regarding business and love life
Angel: tidings of good news, particularly regarding your love life
Apple: success in academia or business; a lengthy lifespan
Arrows: the arrival of bad news
Axe: the overcoming of obstacles
Birds: a sign of good luck or a pleasant journey
Boat: a friend will be visiting you
Bouquet: excellent luck regarding your love life, success, and friendship
Bridge: a positive journey
Butterfly: a symbol of gratification and success
Candle: depicts enlightenment
Car: you will be bestowed with wealth
Castle: an unanticipated windfall – not necessarily associated with money
Circles: the possibility of money or presents
Clouds: can indicate good or troubled times
Clover: can depict excellent luck, happiness, and success
Coffin: prolonged illness or the loss of a loved one
Compasses: traveling for business
Cow: wealth and success
Cross: indicates some form of trouble such as a delay or a death
Crown: success and honor
Dagger: you will be assisted by friends
Dragon: significant and sudden changes in your life
Eagle: positive rewards when you change your place of residence
Elephant: luck and good health
Fish: you will receive good news from a foreign place
Fox: you will be betrayed by a close friend
Goat: the presence of enemies
Greyhound: expect your hard work to pay off
Gun: there will be conflict that may include slander
Hammer: you will overcome challenges
Hat: you will experience success
Heart: a sign of good things to come
Horseshoe: selecting a suitable partner or embarking on a great trip
Hourglass: looming danger
House: success in business ventures
Kettle: signifies death
Kite: an extended trip with honorable results
Knife: fighting and hatred culminating in disaster
Ladder: travel
Letter (leaves in a rectangular shape): predicts news
Lines: signifies a journey along with the direction of the journey
Moon: joy and success
Mountain: an indication of powerful people in your life
Mushroom: lovers unexpectedly separating after a fight
Owl: depicts unlucky events such as illness, poverty; an ominous sign when starting a business. May also indicate being betrayed by a lover.
Pear: an upwards boost in wealth, social status, business, or relationship
People: usually a fortunate symbol
Pig: indicates a faithful partner but jealous friends
Pine tree: contentment
Rabbit: success in a metropolitan area
Rat: losses related to your enemies or your employees
Reptiles: impending arguments
Ring: marriage
Saw: issues arising from strangers
Scales for Weighing: a lawsuit
Scissors: indicates bad luck – a breakup or sickness, perhaps arguments
Shark: possibility of death
Sheep: fortune and success
Ship: a successful journey
Snakes: a bad omen – you should take precautions
Squares: comfort and peace
Star: a positive symbol
Swan: prosperity and a happy love life
Sword: a contentious exchange
Trees: a symbol of good luck; prosperity and happiness; if surrounded by dots, fortune will be found in the country
Triangles: a surprise inheritance or good luck in your future
Umbrella: a period of difficulty or annoyance
Unicorn: possibility of a scandal
Wheel: you may receive an inheritance
Worms: you may be at risk from secret enemies
Woman: you have a great desire for love and a family
It is also possible to see numbers at the bottom of the cup. This is typically associated with time and may indicate hours, days, weeks, or months.
Most experts will interpret this according to the other details they notice in the cup. Thus, the exact meaning may not be obvious to you at first.
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Being able to identify the symbols is only half the process in tea leaf reading.
It is just as important to look at the placement of the pictures or shapes.
For instance, if a symbol is near the top portion of the cup, this is usually a good omen.
However, if the symbol appears at the bottom of the cup, this may be a sign of bad things to come.
At the same time, you need to be aware of other details near the main symbol.
For instance, lines are indicative of a journey. However, you can learn more about this by looking at other symbols that may be close by.
It is important to recognize that each tea reader may keep different stock in each symbol.
This is because, as mentioned, tea leaf symbols are open to interpretation.
If it appears that your reading doesn’t make too much sense, you may want to look up other associations of a particular symbol.
There is a whole process involved in reading tea leaves. Thus, if you want to get it right, be aware of the proper way of doing things.
Add the loose tea leaves to a pot containing hot water.
You can choose to pour the tea into a cup immediately or allow the leaves to steep for a while.
Pour the tea into the cups of those who want to have their tea leaves read.
Don’t use a strainer. Allow the tea leaves to pour into the cup along with the water.
They should drink the tea until only a little is left at the bottom of the cup.
Have them move their cups from side to side.
They should slowly move the cup from left to right three times.
This will ensure that the tea leaves are evenly distributed at the bottom and sides.
Don’t spend too long looking at the tea leaves at first. Instead, take a cursory glance and determine what you see.
Most people believe that this is the most accurate way of carrying out a tea leaf reading. As you look at the image again, you may be able to notice more details.
There is no official way to read tea leaves. As such, you may find that people will often resort to different tactics.
For instance, you can choose to brew the loose tea leaves in your cup rather than in a pot. This works best when you are only reading your fortune.
Just add the leaves into your cup and pour in some water. Allow the leaves to steep in the water and then drink until only the dregs are left.
Another thing you can do is to ask a direct question before reading your tea leaves. For this option, focus on a particular query – the more specific it is, the better.
Then, meditate on this question while your tea is steeping, directing all your energy towards it.
The resulting tea leaves may provide you with an answer.
Some people prefer to upturn their cup onto a saucer. Make sure to do this when there is very little liquid left in your cup.
Then, turn your cup upright again and interpret the symbols that you see.
Some individuals believe that the design of the cup also plays a role in the outcome of your fortune.
For instance, if there are tea leaves near the handle, this signifies events related to your immediate surroundings.
However, if the tea leaves are directly opposite the handle, this will indicate external forces.
The rim of the cup is associated with the present, while the sides represent your near future. The bottom of the cup is related to your far future.
Now, depending on the question you ask, these zones may help to determine a connection between people, the timing of an event, or the intensity.
As you can see, there is quite a lot to master in tasseography. You need to know how to properly carry out the process. Even then, you should correctly figure out what the various figures and shapes are trying to say.
Keep in mind that this is just a fun activity. You shouldn’t take your readings too seriously, particularly if they contain bad omens. At the end of the day, there is no evidence to prove that tea leaf reading is accurate.
