How to Read Tea Leaves

Upon hearing about tea leaf reading, many people envision an old gypsy fortuneteller glaring into a tea cup before revealing the future in a hushed voice. However, the practice of reading tea leaves is believed to have developed long before the existence of gypsy mystics in ancient Asia and Greece. In Tasseography (tea leaf reading), divination is attained by interpreting symbols and patterns in tea leaves. Today, this ancient art is practiced in countries throughout the world and remains one of the most commonly used methods of divination. Are you curious about how this ancient art is performed? Are you ready to learn how to glimpse into the future using your teacup? The art of tea reading consists of four distinctive phases: preparation, consumption, reading, and interpretation.

The first phase in a traditional tea reading is preparing the tea. First, you need to select your materials. You will need tea, a teapot without a strainer, a tea cup, and a saucer. In choosing your tea, you should consider that China tea or black tea is the preferred variety for use in tea readings. Although you may use any tea variety, black tea produces the clearest images. In addition, you should use loose tea. However, if you do not have this you can cut up a teabag. You should brew the tea in a teapot without a strainer. First, you need to place the leaves into your teapot. Then, you will need to add boiling water. You should allow the tea to steep until it is your desired strength. You will need a tea cup that has a base that is smaller than the top. If you have either a traditional Asian or European tea cup, you should use one of these. You want to choose a larger tea cup because it will provide more space for patterns and symbols to form in. In addition, you need to make sure to choose an undecorated, light (preferably white/bone) colored cup. Finally, you will need a small plate or saucer. After the tea has finished brewing, you should pour it into your teacup.

You are now ready to begin the consumption phase of the tea reading. You will want to make sure to have a tea reading journal (any notebook will work) and a pencil/pen ready. As you pour the tea, the leaves will flow into your cup along with the tea. As you wait for the tea to cool, you should inhale the tea's aromas and allow yourself to fully relax. When you are ready, you should lift your cup with the hand you use the least often. Next, you slowly drink the tea until the cup is nearly empty. If you have a particular question or concern concentrate on it as you drink (Wallace). Once you have finished all but a teaspoon or two of your tea, you should swirl what is left around the cup three times from left to right, distributing the leaves. You will need to make sure that the tea particles flow up the sides of your cup. Then, you should turn the cup upside down on the saucer to drain off the remaining tea. Before turning over your cup, you should take seven deep breaths while focusing on creating a relaxed state of mind. You will notice that the excess tea drained from your cup, leaving behind leaf patterns.

You are now ready to begin the third phase of the tea reading. Now that you are fully relaxed, you should begin watching the leaves inside your cup. You will need to allow patterns and symbols to float through your consciousness. You will begin to observe shapes, pictures, or patterns in the leaves. The first image you perceive represents your principal character, mood, or question. Make sure you record your observations in your tea reading journal. Make sure to note the position of the images in the cup. The closer they are to the rim, the sooner that part of the divination will come true. If you notice any symbols or patterns in the rim area, you should record their location and description. The tea leaves in the middle of your tea cup represent the near future. Scan this area and write down any symbols or patterns that you see. The leaves found on the bottom predict what will happen in the distant future. Observe the leaves in this bottom (base) area, you should write down any symbols or patterns you notice, while making sure to take note of their locations. It is also important to note how close symbols and patterns are to the tea cup handle. The closer an image is found to the handle; the more likely that you are going to be the cause of the circumstance foreseen by the tea leaves. The farther an image is from the handle, the more likely that someone else will be the root of the problem. Once you have fully examined the tea leaves, you will begin the interpretation phase of the tea reading.

In the final phase of a tea reading, you will interpret your observations. First, you will need to examine your notes. If you want, you can organize your observations into a table based on the three key tea cup areas: rim, middle, and base. Most tea readers interpret images based on accepted magical and archetypal symbolism. There are numerous books available online and in local bookstores listing symbols and their meanings. However, you do not need these sources to perform an effective tea reading. The most important thing is to determine what the symbols and patterns mean to you. It is important for you to remember that the ability to read tea leaves is derived from your subconscious. Similarly, the symbols you see in the leaves are unique to your perception. In order to perform a successful tea reading, you need to trust you natural instincts and most importantly you should remember to have fun.

Sources used for this Article:

Saint, Moriath. "Tempests and Teacups." Morbid Outlook. 23 Sep. 2005 http://morbidoutlook.com/sprituarlity/2007 teacup.html>.

Schwartz, Alvin. Telling Fortunes: Love Magic, Dream Signs, and Other Ways to Learnthe Future. New York: J.B. Lippincocott, 1990.

Wallace, Mona L. "Tasseography." The Mystica. 2005. 23 Sep. 2005 http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/t/tasseography.html>.