Loose Tea Leaves for Tea leaf readings

BeyondtheVeil

Hi Guys! I am wondering which teas you prefer to use when doing your Tea leaf readings. I am wondering what your tea 'tastes' like. I only drink iced tea and Market Spice Tea {from Seattle, Washington}. It has a "Naturally sweet cinnamon-orange flavor". I have been reading a book on Tea Leaf Readings and it says that flavored teas are not recommended. What are your thoughts and experiences with that? I have never used or drank a loose leaf tea before. {They were always in bags}.


It also has this list of loose leaf Teas that would be great for reading tea leaves. {From the book "The Art of Tea-Leaf Reading by: Jane Struthers}.

Variety* *Type* *Size of Leaf* *Flavour/Flavor*
Keemun - Black - Medium - Toasted
Assam - Black- Small - Malty
Darjeeling- Black - Large- Fragant
Earl Grey - Black- Large- Delicately scented
English Breakfast- Black- Medium- Stimulating
Ceylon- Black- Small- Full
Kenya - Black- Small- Strong
Oolong - Black- Medium - Fruity



So my question is, for those tea drinkers that use loose leaf tea to do tea leaf readings with.... What tea do you like to use and why? I am wondering about the taste specifically. I have not tried any other types of teas, so I have no idea which one I would like. {taste wise}. It would also be very expensive to personally try each and every one. So any help would be greatly appreciated. :)


Thanks so much!:heart:
BeyondtheVeil
 

Laura Borealis

I cannot imagine why a flavored tea would not be recommended. Did the book say why?

I don't do tea leaf reading (other than looking at the bottom of my own cup and pondering any stray leaves, if I'm using loose leaf tea). But I do drink tea! My very favorite is assam. Like your book says, it has a malty flavor. A lot of blends that have "breakfast tea" in the name contain assam, so you may already be familiar without knowing it.

I do not like Earl Grey, it is flavored with bergamot (a citrus fruit). A lot of people love it, though. Capt. Picard comes to mind! :D

It's odd that your book lists oolong as a black tea; it's -- well, an oolong -- it's dried differently and is less oxidized than black.
 

BeyondtheVeil

laura_borealis

laura_borealis said:
I cannot imagine why a flavored tea would not be recommended. Did the book say why?

I don't do tea leaf reading (other than looking at the bottom of my own cup and pondering any stray leaves, if I'm using loose leaf tea). But I do drink tea! My very favorite is assam. Like your book says, it has a malty flavor. A lot of blends that have "breakfast tea" in the name contain assam, so you may already be familiar without knowing it.

I do not like Earl Grey, it is flavored with bergamot (a citrus fruit). A lot of people love it, though. Capt. Picard comes to mind! :D

It's odd that your book lists oolong as a black tea; it's -- well, an oolong -- it's dried differently and is less oxidized than black.


Thanks so much!

The book { The art of tea-leaf reading by: Jane Struthers }says this:
Choose a tead that does not contain added ingredients, such as tiny strips of orange peel or dried rose petals that are found in flavoured teas. This means that such a delicious teas as jasmine, which contains dried jasmine petals, are unsuitalble for tasseonmancy. [end quote]

So I am assuming that flavored teas have bits of whatever in it and will make the tea clump instead of 'spread' so that one could do a reading. I have never tried to do a tea leaf reading nor do I know much about teas. lol So I was wondering if it did matter or if people have had success with flavored teas.


Sorry for the ramble! *hugs*
BeyondtheVeil
 

Laura Borealis

Oh I see -- the extra bits of botanical matter would interfere with the tea leaves and reading. (One could also see them as augmentation, I suppose!) In that case Earl Grey would be fine, as the flavoring comes from bergamot oil.
 

obeygravity

All of my teas are flavored with the exception of one thing of green tea and one thing of chai that I have. Otherwise it's a bunch of 'designer teas' so to speak. I've never had any real issue with reading the tea leaves, though. The thing is when you use a strainer, the larger clumps of flavoring typically get caught, so the only bits that actually come through are the tea leaves. They still spread pretty appropriately and in a readable way. Though I've only ever done tea readings for fun and am a complete and total novice in it hahaha.
 

BeyondtheVeil

laura_borealis said:
Oh I see -- the extra bits of botanical matter would interfere with the tea leaves and reading. (One could also see them as augmentation, I suppose!) In that case Earl Grey would be fine, as the flavoring comes from bergamot oil.

Earl Grey was one of the teas that she said would work. I am just wondering how good it tastes. :laugh:

I am getting that the extra bits make it impossible to get any shapes because it makes it clump all together. I don't know anything about teas... so I was quite baffled. lol

Now I am wondering if the tea I like has bits of stuff in it. {It is a flavored tea}.


BTV
 

BeyondtheVeil

obeygravity

obeygravity said:
All of my teas are flavored with the exception of one thing of green tea and one thing of chai that I have. Otherwise it's a bunch of 'designer teas' so to speak. I've never had any real issue with reading the tea leaves, though. The thing is when you use a strainer, the larger clumps of flavoring typically get caught, so the only bits that actually come through are the tea leaves. They still spread pretty appropriately and in a readable way. Though I've only ever done tea readings for fun and am a complete and total novice in it hahaha.

It says to not use a strainer, but to let the tea leaves go into the cup. I guess that is why she is so specific on what types of teas to use. {the size, etc}

Thanks for sharing your experience! *hugs*
BeyondtheVeil
 

eyeDEEclaire

laura_borealis said:
I cannot imagine why a flavored tea would not be recommended. Did the book say why?

I don't do tea leaf reading (other than looking at the bottom of my own cup and pondering any stray leaves, if I'm using loose leaf tea). But I do drink tea! My very favorite is assam. Like your book says, it has a malty flavor. A lot of blends that have "breakfast tea" in the name contain assam, so you may already be familiar without knowing it.

I do not like Earl Grey, it is flavored with bergamot (a citrus fruit). A lot of people love it, though. Capt. Picard comes to mind! :D

It's odd that your book lists oolong as a black tea; it's -- well, an oolong -- it's dried differently and is less oxidized than black.


I don't like Earl Grey at all. I LOVE oolong! I haven't actually tried tea leaf readings but a Syrian man I worked for as a teen showed me how to do readings with Turkish coffee. Unfortunately, I don't like Turkish coffee. It's like sludge.
 

celticnoodle

I have also heard that you should use tea that is not fruit or flavored teas, such as the cinnamon teas, or the orange teas, etc. however, I cannot recall why that is so. also, it is most beneficial to find tea leaves that were rolled, rather then crushed--and most importantly- not in a tea bag. the tea bag teas are too fine a tea, having been crushed.

definitely no strainer! you need to place about 1/2 to 1 tsp. of tea leaves into the cup and pour the boiling water into the cup to steep. I've also have been told or read that a white cup or light colored cup is the best tea leaf reading cup to use, so you can easily see the symbols the tea leaves leave behind.

my grandmother read tea leaves and w/her, you couldn't add sugar or any other sweetener. you didn't have to have much tea if you cannot stand the unsweetened teas, but you did have to have at least 1/2 cup and drink the majority of the liquid, while thinking of your question. then the cup was turned upside down onto its saucer, to expel the remaining liquid. (if you do not have a saucer, use a paper towel).

the tea reader will then turn the cup while upside down, around 3x--clockwise and then turn it over. the tea leaves will have stuck to the inside of the cup and is thus read in that manner. there is a timing read as well with tea leaves, but for the life of me, I cannot recall how that is done. I've tried tea leaf reading many times, but not very good w/it. :( so, I don't have any of my tea leaf reading cups or books w/me here in this home.

there are many different ideas on reading tea leaves. but it is most important to read w/tea leaves and not teabag tea. anything that is coarsely crushed is best, as the finer crushed tea - such as teabag tea-just won't work.

I love Earl Grey tea! and the Darjeeling, English Breakfast, and Ceylon. I also like Lady Grey tea. but some of my fave teas are--cinnamon teas, orange rind tea, and chamomile teas. I'm fortunate to have a tea store just south of us, where I can get fresh teas of pretty much any flavor/idea. they'll mix them as well for you. fresh teas are wonderful! much better then teabag tea. however, teabag tea is much more convenient.

hmmm...the more i think of it, I believe the tealeaves closest to the rim of the cup are what will occur soon and the further down the cup to the bottom is the future or would that be the past? things that had already occurred? not sure on that.
 

eyeDEEclaire

"my grandmother read tea leaves and w/her, you couldn't add sugar or any other sweetener. you didn't have to have much tea if you cannot stand the unsweetened teas, but you did have to have at least 1/2 cup and drink the majority of the liquid, while thinking of your question. then the cup was turned upside down onto its saucer, to expel the remaining liquid. (if you do not have a saucer, use a paper towel)."


That's how it was done with the Turkish coffee as well, all those sludgy coffee grounds creating images.

Has anyone bought "The Cup of Destiny"? I almost bought it at a bookstore recently. It's very pretty.