A Beginner’s Guide To Tasseography

Tasseography is the ancient, yet little known, art of tea-leaf divination. As a little girl in the 1960s, I was fascinated to learn that the patterns of tea leaves at the bottom of my teacup had special meanings, so much so that I asked my mother never to use the tea strainer again!

Tasseography, also known as tasseomancy or tealeaf reading, is a form of divination or fortune-telling that involves interpreting patterns formed by tea leaves or coffee grounds left in a cup. The practice has ancient roots and can be traced back to various cultures and regions, but it originated in ancient China, where tea was first cultivated.

Tasseography also has ties to Middle Eastern cultures, particularly in the Ottoman Empire. The practice spread through trade routes and cultural exchanges. In the Middle East, coffee grounds were often used for divination, and the leftover grounds would be interpreted for insights into the future.

Tasseography gained popularity in Europe in the 17th century, particularly during the Victorian era when tea became a fashionable beverage. It is also associated with the Romani people, who incorporated tea leaf reading into their traditions. As the Roma traveled and interacted with different cultures, the practice spread.

The basic idea behind tasseography is that the arrangement of tea leaves or coffee grounds in a cup can be interpreted to reveal information about a person’s life, future, or destiny. The specific symbols and patterns can vary, and interpretations often rely on the intuition and experience of the reader.

Since tasseography is much less structured than reading tarot cards and less expensive than building a fancy crystal collection, it’s a great option for anyone who’s interested in cultivating a unique divination practice with what they already have at home ~ Aliza Kelly Faragher

Here is how to do it at home:

Preparing The Tea

Make sure your environment is quiet and your mind is relaxed and clear before you begin.

You will need loose-leaf tea to read the leaves, which you can brew as normal, one teaspoon of tea per person and an extra teaspoon for the teapot. A strainer is not necessary. However, a rounded cup with a shallow bowl is best for reading the leaves. It is also advisable to use a light-colored cup so that you can see the leaves and their symbols more clearly.

Drinking The Tea

It is of the utmost importance that you enjoy the experience of drinking your tea while setting your intention for the reading. Think of it as a little ceremony or ritual.

As you sip your beverage, preferably with your non-dominant hand (left if you are right-handed and vice versa), relax and focus calmly on any questions you may have for the tea leaves to answer. For example, you can ask Spirit if now is the time to become self-employed, to move, or to commit to a relationship. Focus on your question and let the tea leaves provide the answers! If you do not have a specific question in mind, allow the leaves to tell you what you need to know.

Preparing To Read

Drink the tea until only a small amount remains at the bottom of the cup. Swirl the remaining liquid around the teacup at least three times in a counterclockwise direction, making sure that the leaves are clearly visible. Next, place a paper towel on top of a saucer and gently turn the cup and its contents upside down and let it sit for a few minutes. This should ensure that any excess water has drained away and you are ready to read!

Reading The Leaves

Place the handle of your teacup over your heart and examine its contents. You need to look at your cup from all angles and remember that the shapes and symbols the tea leaves represent are not necessarily perfectly formed. However, the ones you feel are relevant are the ones you should concentrate on the most.

Tea leaves should be read in a clockwise direction. Start at the top of the cup and work your way down in a spiral, keeping in mind that what you see at the top predicts the near future, while any symbols in the middle predict events in the next few weeks, and those at the bottom predict events in the next few months.

When reading the tea leaves, it is important to remember that the symbols can be interpreted symbolically or literally. For example, if you see the sign of a bird, it traditionally means good luck. However, if you are ornithophobic, as I am, the leaves may indicate that it is time to face those fears.

Remember, it’s important to listen to your intuition when reading the leaves, and don’t let a lack of confidence due to a lack of experience stop you! Also, as with cloud gazing, the symbols represented by your tea leaves can be interpreted differently, and everyone will generally see something different.

Tea Leaf Symbolism

Here are some of the meanings of common tea leaf symbols and what they might reveal:

Anchor: Stability and security, or resistance to change.
Arrow: Direction, movement, progress, warning.
Bird: Freedom, messages or travel.
Cat: Independence, mystery or intuition.
Circle: You will receive a gift.
Cross: Adversity or challenges on the horizon.
Crown: Success, honor or recognition.
Dog: Loyalty and friendship.
Elephant: Strength, wisdom or memory.
Pisces: Abundance, fertility or opportunity.
Heart: Love and emotional matters.
House: Stability, home or family.
Horseshoe: Success in a new relationship.
Key: Opportunities, solutions or secrets.
Knot: Stress, tension, fear.
Leaf: New beginnings or personal growth.
Moon: Intuition, dreams or the subconscious.
Mountain: Challenges or obstacles, or travel and journeys.
Ring: Commitment, marriage or a lasting relationship.
Ship/Boat: Voyage or adventure.
Snake: Transformation, healing or rebirth.
Star: Guidance, inspiration or aspiration.
Sun: Success, energy, vitality, new beginnings.
Sword: Disputes with a partner or victory over an opponent.
Tree: Health, stability or longevity.
Triangle: Blessings to come and abundance.
Umbrella: Protection or shelter from trouble.
Wheel: Inheritance, undeniable change, progress.

As with any form of divination, practice makes perfect, so the more you practice reading the leaves, the more adept you will become. Have fun!