I recently took an interest in tea reading and started looking up online how to do it yourself. I ended up spending hours in research and couldn’t find anything super comprehensive, plus I found out how seemingly infinite this art …or science is.

So I’ve put it all here for your delight! Here’s the step-by-step low down on how you can read tea leaves for yourself and your friends.

Steps to reading tea leaves. Make a cup of tea and let it steep, drink it, but leave a teaspoon or so in the cup, swirl the cup in your left hand counterclockwise. Invert the cup, pause for a minute, then, turn the cup over from the right-hand side, look closely at the pattern of leaves, and refer to this list of symbols. 

How to Read Tea Leaves

That sounds so simple, right? Except it’s something of an art form when it comes to interpreting the leaves. First off though, here’s that list again for you in a bit more detail step by step.

1. Let the tea steep for a few minutes
2. Drink the tea, but leave a teaspoon or so of it in the cup. Do not empty the cup.
3. Take the handle of the teacup in your left hand and quietly ask for help to read your future.
4. Now, swirl the cup in a counter-clockwise direction.
5. Take a saucer and invert the cup on the saucer.
6. Leave the cup on the saucer for about a minute so all the contents of the cup can drain away.
7. Slowly, turn the cup up from the right.
8. Now, the tea leaves are ready to be read according to the salient rules of tasseography.

Tips to Consider Before Reading

The ritual to read tea leaves is quite important. It allows the reader to align themselves with a greater power, allowing them to guide the reader. 

But, wait! …

The art itself requires practice. It’s not something that can be perfected in one go. That’s why there’s great emphasis on the rituals before you actually begin reading.

Here are the steps to take before you start the process.

1. Try to clear your mind of any thoughts.
2. Trust your first impressions.
3. Do not second-guess yourself. Let the process guide you.
4. Do not rush the process. Let it come to you naturally.
5. Calmly examine the shapes of the tea leaves and how it is distributed.
6. Do not try to force an answer. Observe the tea leaves in-depth and let the answer naturally appear to you.
7. When looking at the tea leaves, try to discern the shapes and figures of how the leaves clump together. Observe how your instinct is trying to guide you.
8. Do not read leaves in a time-bound manner.
9. It leaves space for ambiguity. Tea leaf reading provides indications. The meaning of the indications changes based on the content.

Basics of Reading Tea Leaves

As I mentioned before, rituals take an important place in tea reading. That’s why these steps should be treated with utmost sanctity. Now, let’s get down to business.

If you’re looking for a book about Tasseography, perhaps if you’re really getting into this area, then of all the options on Amazon, this is the tea leaf reading book I’d recommend for Beginners.

For advanced Tasseographers, I’d go for this tea reading gift, as it’s a little more advanced and involves using Tasseography cards for predictions.

The Preparation

The first step involves setting the environment and choosing the right accessories. You can find more information on choosing the right tea and tea sets later in the article. But for now, let’s simplify. Choose a tea set with a saucer and a teacup with a handle. The color of the tea set should be white since it provides the best base for reading.

Clear your reading area. Place a clean cloth on the table where the reading is supposed to take place.

Now, let’s move on to preparing the tea. Remember that this tea isn’t being made for you to enjoy, like on a summer afternoon. So, do not add any milk, lemon, or sugar. While some sections do not prohibit it, it does not really help in the reading in any way.

Take a pinch of the tea leaves and put them in the cup. Pour boiling water into the cup and cover it with a lid or a saucer. Let the tea leaves steep for a couple of minutes. 

The Ritual

Now drink the tea, leaving behind only a couple of teaspoons of tea and leaves. Generally, the person who wants their future told, is called the sitter or consultant. In this case, that is you. Put in a silent prayer asking for guidance. Ask the question that you want to ask in a quiet manner. 

Take the handle of the cup in your left hand with the rim facing upwards. Slowly, move the cup in a counter-clockwise direction so that the contents of the cup swirl inside. This will make some of the tea leaves stick to the side, while some take their place at the bottom of the cup.

Invert the cup onto the saucer and leave it aside for a minute. This will allow the liquid contents to slowly drip down on the saucer leaving the tea leaves inside the cup.

But, there’s a catch…

This ritual should only be completed by the person who wants to have their future read. In case, you are the one reading the leaves for someone else, then the other person should be completing this ritual.

Now, the sitter should calm their minds while holding the cup and contemplate the questions they want to ask. The handle of the cup represents the consultant in their respective spheres (or residence). It is the “south” point of the compass. The fixed point denotes the “letters to” the sitter. It can also mean “journeys away from” home or the residence of the consultant.

The cup can be split into three parts – the rim, the side, and the bottom. The rim denotes the presence of the sitter, while the side indicates the events not too distant. The bottom, on the other hand, indicates the distant future. The symbols in the cup which appear near to the handle stand a greater chance to be fulfilled.

The Rim of the cup denotes the Present

The Side indicates the Medium Term

The Bottom indicates the distant future

Now, here comes the good part…

Predicting the Future

The ‘seer’ or the reader will take the cup from the sitter. If you’re not reading your own future, then at this point, you should concentrate on the sitter.

Look at their cup and carefully observe the tea leaves scattered in the cup. At first glance, it will look scattered, with no noticeable pattern. But slowly, as you continue to look, you’ll find that the leaves form into lines, circles, dots, and other kinds of figures.

Carefully observe the shapes and figures formed and where they are formed. Turn the cup around a few times to carefully gauge the symbols. Slowly, the symbols will become clearer as you continue to look at the symbols from different angles.

You’ll start to find resemblance with various symbols, lines, and figures. Now, try to ascertain their position. Are they closer to the rim? Or are they nearer to the bottom of the cup? Start observing the relation among these symbols as well.

The prediction is based on the meaning of the symbols in context to their position in the cup and to the other symbols around them. For example, bad omens can be offset by stronger good omens. Alternatively, a bad omen can be strengthened by another bad omen as well.

Here’s an example of a reading…

The teacup reveals a favorable outcome for the sitter from symbol 1,4,5 and their relative position. There is a romantic relationship on the cards, apparent from the heart symbol (3). The letter ‘L’ can also be seen and can mean to be the first letter of the name of the lover. The relationship seems to be in the future but not so distant either.

There are also indications of some success (crown symbol) in your recent venture that you have either undertaken or yet to undertake. However, there are also signs of difficulties in the near future. 

The good omens in this particular teacup outweigh the bad omens. There’s also the possibility of marriage (4). It might be of your own, a friend, or someone else close to you.

If you’re looking for a book about Tasseography, perhaps if you’re really getting into this area, then of all the options on Amazon, this is the tea leaf reading book I’d recommend for Beginners.

For advanced Tasseographers, I’d go for this tea reading gift, as it’s a little more advanced and involves using Tasseography cards for predictions.

You clearly have an interest in tea, so you’ll love my Tea Sommelier Course… Currently on offer … but that will probably go back up again soon!

Learning to See Symbols

An essential part of tea reading is learning to identify the symbols. This comes with practice.

For example, identifying symbols like cats, trees, letters, flowers, numbers, dragons, eagle,s etc. takes practice and the use of your imagination. As your practice grows, you’ll start to see these symbols by mere intuition alone instead of using conscious decision-making.

Some symbols may be larger in size compared to others. This should also weigh in during your reading. A larger size indicates greater importance or impact.

For example, a large circle can mean a sudden monetary windfall of a significant amount. But a smaller circle will indicate a smaller sum of windfall.

That’s not all…..

Letters and Lines in Tasseography

Then there’s the application of context. Let’s say, you see the letter ’S’ near a serpent symbol. The serpent represents bad luck or danger. The placement of the letter ’S’ in proximity to the serpent symbol will indicate that you’re in danger from a person whose name starts with the letter ’S’.

Now, let’s say the letter ’S’ appears near a bird symbol flying toward the handle of the cup. In that case, it would mean that you’re likely to get a letter or news from a person whose name begins with the letter ’S’.

On the other hand, if the letter ’S’ appears near a bird symbol flying away from the handle of the cup, then the sitter would be sending a letter to the ’S’ person.

The smaller tea leaves generally form lines inside the cup. A line indicates travel or a trip and a long line could indicate a long journey. If the line reaches the handle of the cup, then the sitter would probably be returning home, in case he/she is away from home. 

If the line ends before reaching the handle then it would mean that the sitter is likely to relocate to another residence. A broken line or a wave would indicate delayed journeys as opposed to straight lines which would mean rapid trips.

If there are any numbers near to the line then that would indicate the duration of the journey. For example, if the number ‘4’ is located near the line, then it would be a journey of 4 days.

Dots in Tasseography

If there are any dots surrounding or near the symbols, it would mean money coming in depending upon the symbols and other relevant contexts. 

But that’s not all…

If a leaf clings to the rim of the cup, then it would indicate that events predicted in the cup will be fulfilled soon. Similarly, there are multiple interpretations of the symbols, all depending upon the position and the context of the symbols.

In most cases, there are mixed signs. Some good, some bad. One should always take a holistic approach and keep in mind the other symbols while making predictions.

Tips for Reading Tea Leaves

The art of tasseography is extensive in itself. While there are no shortcuts to learning it, there certainly are some tips that can help you get a head start.

• Start your predictions by taking into consideration the largest signs and then work your way down to the smallest. This helps you predict outcomes that are most likely to happen first.
• The number of shapes in the cup is equally proportional to the significance of the sitter’s phase in life. A large number of shapes in the cup would indicate that the sitter is going through a crucial phase in his/her life.
• Observe if the shapes are spread out throughout the cup or concentrated in a few particular areas. This could help ascertain if the events are dynamic or concentrated along the lines of a particular event or time.
• Don’t try to be too hasty in your readings, discuss other topics whilst looking, put the cup down, discuss something else, then pick it back up. This can help enormously in allowing the mind to focus and then reflect.
• Be slow and deliberate in your delivery. Keep in mind that sitters often listen intently to every word and absorb them all. So choose your words wisely and beware of misinterpretation. Always be objective, provide other viewpoints to the positive, and be considerate.
• To help you constantly improve your skill, keep a diary of your readings. Be as detailed as possible when writing them down. You can refer back to them in times of need and it will also help you gain depth in your readings.

Tasseography Symbols

• Aircraft: failed projects. Aircraft can be balloons, planes, or anything related.
• Anchor: prosperity in business and a stable romantic relationship (In case the symbol is cloudy, then it could mean the opposite.)
• Angel: good news, especially in love-related matters
• Apples: long life; success in school or business
• Arrows: bad messages or news from the direction in which the arrow points
• Axe: overcoming issues
• Birds: good luck, possibly a good journey
• Boat: a visit from a friend
• Bouquet: represents good overall circumstances including friends, love life, and financial matters.
• Bridge: a positive journey
• Butterfly: success and pleasure
• Candle: enlightenment
• Car: approaching wealth
• Castle: an unexpected fortune (monetary or otherwise)
• Circles: expect money or presents
• Clouds: serious troubles, unless surrounded by dots! (This means monetary success.)
• Clover: very good luck; happiness and prosperity
• Coffin: lengthy sickness or the death of a loved one
• Compasses: business travel
• Cow: prosperity
• Cross: trouble, delay, or death
• Crown: success and honor
• Dagger: help from friends
• Dragon: large and sudden changes
• Eagle: honor and riches achieved through a change in housing
• Elephant: luck and good health
• Fish: good news from another country
• Fox: backstabbing from a close friend
• Goat: Enemies
• Greyhound: hard work paying off with a good fortune
• Gun: disharmony, slander
• Hammer: challenges overcome
• Hat: success in life
• Heart: good things to come, such as money (if surrounded by dots) or marriage (if with a ring)
• Horseshoe: success in choosing a partner; a lucky trip
• Hourglass: imminent danger
• House: business success
• Kettle: death
• Kite: a long trip leading to esteem and pride
• Knife: disaster met through fighting and hatred
• Ladder: travel
• Letter: (square of rectangular leaves): news; initials nearby signify the bearer of the news; dots with the letter means money, but if the image of the dots is cloudy, it means loss of money
• Lines: journey, and the direction of the journey (when reading with nearby symbols); wavy lines mean difficult journeys; straight lines can also mean peace, happiness, and a long life
• Moon: happiness and success; a crescent moon means prosperity
• Mountain: a powerful friend or, if many mountains, powerful enemies
• Mushroom: a sudden separation of lovers following a fight
• Owl: sickness, poverty, warning against starting a new business, deceit in love, and other unlucky events
• Pear: wealth, social status, possibly a financially beneficial business move or marriage
• People: symbol varies with what they are doing, but the symbol of people is usually good
• Pig: a faithful lover but jealous friends
• Pine tree: contentment
• Rabbit: success in a city
• Rat: losses through enemies or employees
• Reptiles: arguments
• Ring: marriage; if a letter is nearby, it is the initial of the future spouse; if the ring is at the bottom, it means the marriage will not take place; if the ring is surrounded by clouds, it signifies an unhappy marriage
• Saw: trouble from strangers
• Scales: (old-fashioned, weight-measuring ones): a lawsuit
• Scissors: arguments; a break-up; illness
• Shark: danger of death
• Sheep: prosperity and success
• Ship: a successful journey
• Snakes: a bad omen; take caution!
• Squares: comfort and peace
• Star: good luck; if surrounded by dots, wealth, and honor
• Swan: good luck and a happy love life
• Sword: arguments, especially between lovers; a broken sword means an enemy will win
• Trees: good luck; prosperity and happiness; if surrounded by dots, fortune will be found in the country
• Triangles: good luck or an unexpected inheritance
• Umbrella: difficulty; annoyance
• Unicorn: scandal
• Wheel: inheritance
• Worms: secret enemies

History of Tea Leaf Reading

Tea leaf reading is believed to have begun soon after tea was first discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nun.

The incident is believed to have taken place in 2737 BC. One of the stories surrounding the origin of tea reading reveals that it likely happened between a few friends. 

The friends were enjoying the tea and discussing their life affairs. Once they finished the tea, one of them noticed that the tea leaves clumped in the cup resembled a few symbols that were indicative of the events in their lives.

Before this, Chinese monks used to practice a similar art by looking at the cracks inside a bell.

Tea leaf reading is called tasseography. The word has roots in French and Greek. ‘Tasse’ means cup in French, while ‘graph’ means writing in Greek.

There are other references to tea reading in history. Historical texts refer to tea reading as ‘throwing cups’ as well. This is where the excess tea would be drained and then tossed away before reading.

These kinds of rituals were usually practiced in Europe. It’s likely that tea would have been imported from China to England during that period.

The sport was originally enjoyed in the 17th century, courtesy of the Dutch tea merchants. England later implemented the Tea Act, which restricted the availability of tea to the upper class.

In popular media, the art is also depicted in movies and books such as “Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.” Professor Trelawney saw a number of omens in Harry’s cup. It’s similar to professional tea readers as well. While the unpracticed eye will find it difficult to find symbols, a professional reader will see the symbols clearly.

Best Tea for Tasseography

Tea reading is best served when using loose-leaf tea. Using tea bags will rob you of the sediments. As a result, you won’t be able to extract any information. That’s why using loose black or oolong tea is best when reading.

Loose leaves are perfect for leaving behind sediments. This allows the leaves to form patterns. You can use any variety of loose-leaf tea, but if you’re going for taste when Darjeeling tea and Earl Grey are some of the best varieties. They can be found in supermarkets near you or you can order them online.

You can also use green tea or herbal tea, but it’s best not to use tea that contains flower buds and petals.

The reason being that tea reading is best when the leaves are of a uniform size. When there are dried flower buds or fruit peels in the tea, then they differ in size. This can mess up your reading and should be avoided …at least when you’re a beginner.

Best Tea Sets for Tasseography

Tea reading is best performed in white tea cup sets like this classic royal tea set on Amazon. You can use patterned clay or porcelain cups, but the inside of the cup should not have any marks or patterns. The use of patterned or designed cups is restricted to allow the reader maximum clarity when looking at the symbols.

If you fancy a bit of color then go for light-colored tea cups since that reduces the risk of colors messing with the reading. I wouldn’t recommend using a mug … it just doesn’t have the same effect. It’s more like builder’s tea!

Coffee Reading

Tasseography is not limited to tea only. It can also be practiced with coffee and wine. Coffee grounds that are left behind after coffee is consumed, can be read in a similar manner. The wine sediments can also be read in a similar manner.

Traditionally, Turkish coffee is preferred by tea readers since it leaves behind grounds at the bottom of the cup. The rules of the reading remain the same as in tea reading. Even the rituals are the same, where the cup is inverted on the saucer.

The cup is then divided into horizontal sections, with the handle being treated as the residence (or sphere of the sitter) and the present, and the bottom is treated as a distant future. 

Overall, tasseography involves a wide spectrum of fortune-telling art involving tea, coffee, and wine. Unlike other such arts, tasseography relies on intuition and in-depth knowledge of the symbols involved. After hours of practice, a reader starts to find clarity in their predictions. So, try out your first session and enjoy your own future.

There are books on Coffee Tasseography too, the one I’ve found which I think is the best tea leaf reading version is here on Amazon.

Final Thoughts

I hope this has helped you to understand how Tasseograpy works and how to do Tasseography and tea leaf reading. If you’re interested to know more about tea and would like to be the go-to tea expert among friends and family then you need my easy-to-learn Tea Sommelier Course.

Find out more about the Teahow Tea Sommelier Course!

Also, for the tea lovers among us, I’ve carefully selected a number of special products that I think tea lovers would love as a gift. Take a look at my resource pages for more info.

Let me know any comments below, I’m looking forward to seeing some thoughts on this. Plus maybe some potential predictions and outcomes posted!