Tasseography is the
ancient art of divining the future from tea leaves
How to Read Tea leaves for
Fun or Profit
by Paula Haworth
The ancient art of reading
tea leaves in a cup is quite simple, and can be learned in a very
short time. Although psychics throughout the ages have used it as a
system of divination, any one can learn to master the techniques
involved. Before long you will be making predictions about the
future for friends and family. You don't need to posses any psychic
ability; all that's really required is patience to understand the
various symbols and their meanings. However, as with all divinatory
systems constant use can have the effect of developing and
stimulating your natural intuitive ability. Adding clairvoyance to
the skill will give you a deeper insight into the metaphysical
energy surrounding the process. Reading tealeaves is a fun way of
stimulating the imagination and tapping into the unconscious mind
and listening to your inner self for answers to problems or dilemmas
that you may have. The process also links in with Carl Jung's theory
of the 'Collective unconsciousness', where by ones intuition isn't
limited by the constraints of space or time. It's through this that
tealeaf readers can look into a persons past, present or future.
The ancient practice of
interpreting patterns made by tealeaves in the cup is called
Tasseography, otherwise known as tasseomancy or tassology. "Tasse"
or "tass" is an Arab word, meaning small cup or goblet. The art also
includes the reading of coffee grounds and wine sediments. In China
and Japan tea drinking had a ceremonial use and an aid to
meditation. A reader would watch for omens in the patterns and
shapes left after drinking the tea. Although tealeaf reading is
associated with Gypsy fortune-tellers and Victorian parlour games
it's roots began in Asia, ancient Greece and the Middle East. In
recent history it has close ties with Scottish, and Irish tradition
as well as throughout Eastern Europe.
Historically, a psychic
often had a special cup that he or she would use for readings.
Likewise a special spoon may be used to give it a sense of ritual.
The cup, saucer and spoon should be first washed or cleansed by
immersing it in hot soap and water and rinsing it with cold. Modern
day psychics use cups with astrological markings printed on the
inside. This not only gives a reading from the tealeaves but also
provides information based on the astrological signs. The cup should
have a wide brim and should be plain inside as any pattern would
conflict with the interpretation of the leaves
Part of the ritual of
reading tea leaves is in the act of sitting down and enjoying the
tea in the company of fellow drinkers as this allows you to relax
and gather your thoughts. Typically psychics choose not to use small
commercially produced tealeaves but opt for the larger type i.e.
Jasmine or Earl Grey etc. The person having the reading would be
asked to spoon a measure of tea into a heated pot or directly into a
china cup. Some psychics ask that the person receiving the reading
stir the dried leaves before spooning them into the teacup or pot.
This is seen as being similar to shuffling tarot cards before a
reading. Boiling water is poured over the tea as the person
receiving the reading stirs the pot or cup. At the same time he or
she should concentrate on the particular question that they would
like an answer to. The teapot is swirled and the tea poured into the
cup.
When the tea is cool enough
to drink the person receiving the reading sips the liquid whilst
continuing to concentrate on the question. The person having his or
hers tealeaf read should leave about a quarter of an inch of tea at
the bottom of the cup. The cup should then be swirled around with
the left hand three times in a clockwise direction so that the
tealeaves are in a state of suspension. It is then flipped quickly
facedown onto a napkin, which has been placed on the saucer thus
leaving the tealeaves on the bottom and sides of the cup.
In order to interpret the
images it may help if you slightly squint your eyes as you look at
the leaves and allow your imagination to roam. Making a mental note
of what you see; begin reading the cup clockwise, the handle
representing the day of the teacup reading should be facing the
reader The rest of the cup is divided into twelve months with the
six month position being directly facing the handle. The leaves near
the brim of the cup have more importance than those near the bottom.
Some psychics say that images facing anticlockwise represent the
significance is departing, whilst images facing clockwise mean the
person requesting the reading is moving towards the occurrence.
Interpretation of the
symbols can be either exactly as they appear, for example a house,
may mean contentment and home, or symbolically i.e. combined with a
bell may mean good news or an invitation on it's way. Contradicting
images imply indecision in the person's mind. Sometimes the top of
the cup is seen as lucky and the bottom is seen as unlucky, but you
should use your intuition and common sense when deciding this. The
size of the symbol may give you clue to its importance. The rim
represents the present or things that may happen within a few days
or weeks. The sides predict the future. The bottom predicts the very
distant future.
Like learning most things
the more you practice the better you will get. The same applies to
the art of tealeaf reading the more proficient you will become at
it. The secrete is to trust your instinct, try and not allow your
logic to interfere with what you see. At first you may only be able
to see vague shapes, but with perseverance your competence and
confidence will grow. The list of symbols and meanings below is far
from complete but will help you get started. It would also be
helpful to purchase a book with a more comprehensive list of
interpretations or alternatively, there are many resources available
on the Internet. Ultimately, the interpretation should be left up to
the reader, and no two readers are the same. The main thing about
interpreting what you see is to learn to trust your intuition and
gut feelings. You may find that certain symbols have a particular
meaning for you alone and vary from the meanings listed below
Symbols and
Interpretations
-
Aeroplane : Travel, going
up in the world
-
Anchor : A journey ends.
-
Angel : A blessing from
your guides
-
Bell : Good news i.e.
wedding etc
-
Bird : Good fortune on its
way
-
Book : Look for further
information
-
Bottle : Allurement, good
social life
-
Butterfly : None serious
about a relationship
-
Clock : Act now, a meeting
soon to happen
-
Moon : Changes
-
Cross : Problems but
outcome positive
-
Cobweb : something guarded
or secure
-
Dagger : Fallout or
plotting ahead
-
Dog : A faithful friend
-
Flag : Stay fast for good
fortune
-
Fish : Spiritual progress
-
Gate : Change of
circumstance, confidently proceed
-
Heart : Happy emotional
things
-
Key : Solutions revealed
soon
-
Ladder : promotion,
improvement
-
Mountain : Problems, but
conquerable
-
Ring : Changes for the
better
-
Scales : Decisions need to
balance things
-
Trees : A new start.
-
Teapot : Warm-loving
friends
About the author: Paula
is a gifted psychic and the owner of
http://www.email-a-psychic.co.uk and
http://www.psychic-trudy.co.uk where your personal questions
will be answered professionally and compassionately by Email.
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