reading tea-leaves

[zorya]

i've decided to take up tasseomancy. thought it might help me hone my psychic and intuitive skills. here is some info, if anyone else would like to try it.

prepare tea with loose leaves (or tear the tea bag) and pour into a light colored cup without straining.

the person who's cup is being read, should drink the tea and leave the leaves on the bottom with a little bit of liquid. when finished s/he swirls the cup (clockwise) three times then turns the cup upside down on the saucer, tapping the cup three times. (the numbers and techniques vary, but this seems to be the most used method)

then the reader picks up the cup and begins to read.

the leaves closest to the rim and handle represent the nearest future. the furthur down the cup, the further off the future.

now you look for lines, shapes, letters and pictures.

if shapes and lines are clear, this points to easier going, if unclear they may experience obstacles.

just a few basic shapes;

single straight line; careful planning, peace of mind
two parallel lines; rewarding journey in store
heart or circle; love
circle with a cross on it; enforced confinement
cross; trouble on the way
cup; success, fulfillment
triangle; unexpected event
snake; emnity or falsehood

look for images and pictures, but most of all use your intuition!

does anyone else here read tea leaves? please share!

(i can include more 'images', but there are a lot of them, so if anyone is interested let me know. )

[Yogi Cat]

Hi Zorya
thanks for those basic shapes - I would be interested in more of them. At my spiritual development group we did reading of the tea leaves for fun one night and some of the group were very good at it. We used a book for interpretation guidelines but found using our intuition gave a better reading.

[Faerie Lin]

A few days ago I decided I wanted to take this up also! I will probably try it out in the next few days. Yes, thanx for the basic useful info!!!!

Anymore info you have I would love to see!!!

lin

[napaea]

i have been interested in this for quite some time as well!
a few years ago i was involved in a Christmas dinner Dickens' style...a lot of actors dressed up in costume and parade around singing, while guests eat a fancy dinner and are entertained.
my friend and i were the rebels; we didn't sing. we dressed up as gypsys, and she sat on all the guys' laps and ate their food while i read tea leaves (actually i just dropped a teabag in the cup and made something up)

but i've always been interested in this line of divination, just haven't ever tried it (though i have read from coca leaves)

if you do decide to post more interpretations, yay! if not, thanks for those posted! this is great!

[zorya]

i think it's most important to use your own intuition and interpretations when using any form of divination. but just for fun ;) here is a list of traditional 'tea leaf' meanings;

acorn=good health, financial success
anchor=voyage
ants=impending difficulties
apple=prosperity, achievement
arrow=bad news in a letter, bad news in love
axe=possible danger or difficulty
balloon=troubles lifting
banana=a business trip
bat=disappointment
bee=meeting friends
bells=good news
bird=good luck, good news
boat=visit from a friend
book=awareness, learning
book/open=the answer to a questions
book/closed=a question needing investigation
bottle=possible disease
branch=new friendship
bull=arguing with friends
butterfly=happiness
candle=help from friends, a light for the future
cat=treachery deciept, a false friend
chair=unexpected guest
child=a new idea
circle=love
clock=recovery from illness
clouds=doubt
coin=payment of debt, prosperity
crab=an enemy nearby
cross=trouble on the way
cup=great success
dagger=danger from foes
daisy=a new love
diamond=an expensive gift
dog=faithful friend
donkey=patience needed
dove=good luck, coming peace
dragon=changes
drum=gossip, a change
egg/whole=fertility, increase, career success
egg/broken=career setback
envelope=news
eye=excersise caution, foresight
face=new friends, a change in friendships
feather=requires more effort
finger/raised= warning
finger/lowered=a need for direction
fish=news from abroad
flag=impending danger
flowers=love, honor, esteem
foot=a walk away from the past
fountain=great happiness
fork=diversion from a goal
forked line=a coming decision
frog=business upswing
fruit=fruitful hopes
garden=a party
glove=luck and honor
goat=misfortune
goose=an invitation
grapes=good times with friends, happiness
guitar=romance on the horizon
gun=danger, strife, catastrophe, arguments with family
hammer=triumph over adversity, hard work
hand=friendship, a friend's assistance
harp=romance
hat=a new work situation, upcoming raise, upcoming honor
horn=abundance
horseshoe=good luck
house=stability
iceberg=lack of inner self
kettle=a friendly home, sign of peace in the home
key=unveiling of mystery
keyhole=unwanted news

[zorya]

lace=fragile matters
ladder=advancement, movement, success in business
lamp=monetary gain
leaf=a new life, good luck
lock=obsacles
man=a visitor, male or female
mask=a secret that must be kept
moon=love
mountain=journey or hindrance
mouse=theft of heart, object or idea, financial insecurity
mushroom= expect delays, a future disturbance
musical instruments=good company
necklace=admirers
necklace/broken=danger ahead in love
needle=respect from others
nest=shelter
net=trap
noose=danger ahead
oak=health
oar=temporary problems, success after a period of trials
owl=scandal, bad health, a sign of good or bad luck ahead
ox=arguments with associates
parrot= disturbance
pendulum=indecision
pig=greed
pipe=new ideas
pumpkin=a warm relationship
purse/open=financial gain
purse/closed=financial loss
question mark=uncertainty, change, questionable morals
rabbit=success, bravery
rainbow=good luck
rat=danger, lost possession, a dishonest person
raven=bad news
ring=marriage
rose=popularity
saw=trouble with a stranger
scales=justice, success at law
scepter=more responsibilities
scissors=angry words, family misunderstanding
scythe=good harvest or death warning
scorpion=an enemies plot
shark=bankruptcy
sheep=good luck
shell=good news
shoe=a career change, increased energy and prosperity
snake=an enemy nearby, falsehood, temptations
spade=good fortune through industry
spider=good luck, money, reward for work
stairs=improvement coming
star=good luck, hope
sword=argument
table=a pleasant get together
teapot=friends
thistle=high ambitions
tortoise=criticism
tower=disappointment
tree=success, health
triangle=unexpected event
turtle=criticism
umbrella=annoyances, protection
vase=a friend in need of help, a secret admirer
violin=loneliness
volcano=impending emotional eruption
wagon=hard times ahead
waterfull=affluence, abundance
web=intrigue complications
wheel=business advancement through great effort
window=help from a friend
wings=news
witch= a strange occurence
wolf=jealousy
yoke=need for change

[Indigo]

I've only read tea leaves a couple of times, and it struck me that I looked for and interpreted the symbols the same way I see pictures in the clouds. Does anyone else do the same?

[DarkElectric]

My Great Grandma was famous in her small Irish village for reading tea leaves. When she came to America, she continued to amaze people with this skill. She used to read tea leaves for my dad. He brags about her to this day. I am going to try it too. I think she did it in the "toothpick impressions" manner, however. That's how she did all of her divinations, and apparently, she could read just about anything. Dad says she called this ability her "signs".

[Rusty Neon]

I've seen some tea-leaf reading teacups with astrological symbols around the rim of the teapcup. Does anyone know how astrology is tied in with the art of tea-leaf reading?

Thanks !

[HudsonGray]

I read part of a book on tea leaf reading once, the upper to lower was used, but the book said the 'start' was also where the handle of the cup was, and as you go away from the handle clockwise, that indicated a timeline also.

Not sure if that's important or not, but it might give a starting point for each section of present, near future, far future.

[Trogon]

Very interesting thread Zorya... thank you very much for taking the time to post that list of symbols. I'm wondering, are you learning this from a book or web site? In other words, what would you recommend as a good reference? ;) Thanks

[ming]

im very interested in the tea leaves too...the best I ever knew was an old scots woman who was SO accurate she will never be bettered. Unfortunately she is dead now and I miss her so much.Here its much more acceptable somehow than tarot & mediums & crystal balls ....not so scary !

[zorya]

trogon,
i wish i had a good recommendation for you! there was no one book or website that i used. i compiled the information from several sources, trying only to use those that seemed reliable and that i found in several places.

i'm sorry that i didn't write down the websites. if you try google, you will find a great many but none very thorough.

the books i used were all basic witchcraft and divination books; again, nothing very substantial.

[Trogon]

Thanks Zorya... I do have the lists you've compiled though... very helpful.

[dolphinprincess]

I know this isn't a substitute for the real thing.. but if you wanted to explore tea leaf reading, but are pretty attached to cards, Rae Hepburn has a pretty nice deck called Tea Leaf Fortune Cards. http://www.learntarot.com/ttdesc.htm
:o)

[MoreMagic]

Just had to add this info - At some point in the past, the Salada Tea Company put out a little 20-page pamphlet called "Cup Reading." A friend of mine found a yellowed and battered copy among piles of old paper in the home of an elderly relative who had passed, and gave it to me. It gives the whole procedure for preparing and drinking the tea, and has some really charming information such as "A windmill is a splendid indication of achievement to the person who is engaged in hazardous undertakings" or "an owl is very unfortunate, it may be hooting a warning either in connection with business or friendship." I wish I knew when it had been published - and I wonder if any tea companies today promote "Cup Reading." (Think I'll ask the people at Upton Teas. :-) )

[Logiatrix]

Ditto on the recommendation by dolphinprincess. The book can stand alone as a decent source about tasseomancy; the cards are a nice divination system, too.
zorya, this is an excellent body of research you have compiled for us--THANK YOU so much!
(((((((zorya)))))))
:)