Tasseography: The Practice of Tea Reading

May 10, 2024

No matter where you are in the world, you most likely enjoy a cup of tea at some point in your day. Some daily rituals span centuries and cultures—our love for these herbal drinks is strong and here to stay. However, did you know you can seek wisdom from the leaves left over from your cup? The art of tasseography may be just as old as the practice of drinking tea. Get more out of your morning, afternoon, or evening cup with the messages leftover in your tea leaves.

The Right Tea and the Right Cup

You must select the right tea leaves and cup for your reading. Many use tea bags, and cutting these open will not yield the best results, as they are commonly ground down. Instead, pick your favorite loose tea for your practice. Avoid loose tea blends with dried fruit or flowers, as these might obstruct the final shapes of the leaves. Some experts suggest that you should not add milk, honey, or sugar to your tea because they may influence your final results.

In addition to the proper tea, selecting the right cup is also essential to your practice. Choose a cup or mug that is white or light in color so you can more easily view the positions of the leaves. In addition, specific cups are made for tasseography with symbols, astrology signs, and other visuals that will help you read the messages. Don't fret; these are not required, and there are several methods to reading your tea leaves successfully.

Preparing Your Tea for Ritual

While warming up water and gathering your tea leaves, set an intention for the messages that await you. Place the leaves in a teaspoon directly into your empty cup. Next, add hot water to your cup and let them steep for several minutes. Do not strain the leaves! Drink the tea but leave a small amount of liquid at the bottom of the cup. Now, the ritual begins.

The Tea Reading Ritual

Continue to meditate on the question or intention of the tea leaves reading. Take the cup in your left hand and swirl the leaves and a small amount of liquid from left to right. Still using your left hand, invert the cup and place it on top of a small plate. Leave the cup like this for about one minute. Lastly, you pick the cup and place it upright. Be sure to position the handle of the cup due south. You will find that the tea leaves are stuck on various parts of the cup, making different shapes.

The Parts of the Cup in Your Tea Reading

When reading your results, you must pay attention to the meaning of the various parts of the cup itself.

1. The Handle: This is an integral part of your reading. The handle represents the energy conduit that connects the physical and ethereal realm. Leaves near the handle represent immediate surroundings. Leaves opposite the handle represent outside influences.

2. The Rim: This part of the cup embodies the present and an immediate timeframe.

3. The Sides: This part of the cup represents the near future or something on the horizon.

4. The Bottom: This area of the cup symbolizes the distant future.

Deciphering Your Tea Leaves

In general, you should be looking for patterns, symbols, lines, and numbers in the shapes your tea leaves make. Also, consider the location on the cup by referencing the above. The proximity and interaction of varying shapes are also important and should be considered in your reading. These shapes and symbols have commonly received meanings, such as a heart that suggests good things to come, a hammer that suggests there is hard work, or a star that means good luck. Again, the symbol and its placement are essential to consider together. This practice will take time to master, but have fun getting to know these symbols and their meanings––use your intuition.

Answers to all life's questions are within you; use tasseography to uncover some of them in your next cup of tea!