Tasseography
The Art of Reading Tea Leaves
This month's featured theme is tasseography.
Tasseography, sometimes called tasseomancy, is
technically a branch of divination where patterns of
symbols made by tea leaves in a cup are interpreted.
Not a science, and not new, it probably developed
thousands of years ago in China, but it has also been
associated with the Eastern European "gypsies," the
Scots, and the Irish, among others. Although enjoying
a resurgence in New Age philosophy, for most of us,
and especially tea-drinkers, it just plain fun --
something to do as we contemplate the bottom of a
great "cuppa."
Tasseography consists of three distinct phases. The
first is creating the reading. The articles below
describe, with some inconsistency, how to set up the
cup so that it is "readable." The second step is
recognizing the individual symbols, associating them
with the inquirer, and determining their significance.
This takes a knowledge of the symbols and no small
amount of imagination. The third step is putting it
all together in a way that combines the symbols into a
single coherent interpretation. This last step seems
to require practice and a touch of omniscience.
So . . . with that brief intro, here's what the Web
has to say about reading tea leaves.
Index to Tasseography
a. Overview of Tasseography/Tasseomancy
b. Places to Have Your Leaves Read
c. Places to Learn More
d. Chat room
a. Overview of Tasseography/Tasseomancy
Reading Tea Leaves. Golden Tips Tea Company, an
Indian enterprise, presents this site which suffices
as a brief introduction. According to the authors:
"Eastern scholars are quick to point out that the
ceremonial uses of tea drinking as an aid to
meditation in China and Japan imply that the ancients
believed that the configuration of tea leaves in the
cup after drinking reflected the state of the world at
that particular moment."
Tasseography (Or Teacup Reading). From Esoteric World
News, this site focuses on interpretation with a long
list of terminology explaining the meaning of symbols.
Also some instructions for creating a reading. Cute
little blinking mushrooms.
Tea Leaf Reading. Golden Triangle Magickal Arts
Society. The most comprehensive site, with a good
description of creating the reading and a long list of
traditional interpretations of symbols.
Reading Lea Leaves. Phenomena On-line. Good site
with several illustrations of symbols. Focuses on
interpretation; light on creating the reading.
About Tea Leaf Reading. Ellie Crystal's Metaphysical
and Science Page. Another list of symbols and a
different way of creating a reading -- clearly the tea
is undrinkable.
b. Places to Have Your Leaves Read
Tremont Tea Room. Boston, MA. A general tea leaf
reading detailing the images within the tea cup for
US$15.00; combination reading [tarot, palm, aura,
runes, psychometry] US$30.00.
Regina Russell's Tea Room. Quincy, MA. The tea room
has been called a "supermarket of fortune telling."
Visitors have their choice of readings and readers.
Readings include: tea leaves, tarot cards, regular
cards, astrology, palm, jewelry, fire, sand, water,
and smoke readings.
Mad Magda's Tea Room. San Francisco, CA. A
garage-sale-chic California teahouse that periodically
features tea readings.
Sax & The Eclectic Tea Cup. It is located in Toronto. Sax Francisco is a Clairvoyant specializing in Tasseomancy. Her private sessions start at Cdn$75.00 and can be conducted in person or by phone. Sax is also available at The Omega Centre Bookstore, 29 Yorkville Avenue Toronto, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. There you can enjoy 15 and 30 minute sessions for $25.00 and $50.00 respectively. For more information please check out the website: www.sacredsax.com.
c. Places to Learn More
Tasseomancy workshops with Sax Francisco, Toronto. Introduction to Tasseomancy is a four week course exploring the history and practice of Tasseomancy with specific emphasis on Symbolism, Interpretation and Timing. Sax is also writing a book entitled "The Eclectic Tea Cup - A Clairvoyant's Guide to Tasseomancy" which will be self-published in 2003. Look for her course at The Learning Annex, Toronto in January through April 2003.
American Institute of Natural Sciences.
Correspondence course [6 lessons] including:
Symbolism; Choice of Teas; Time, Place and Person;
Lines, Patterns and Space; Breezes and Storms in
Teacups. Students receive a Tasseography diploma.
Price US$325!
The Lighthouse Centre offers courses in tea leaf
reading for a mere $10, Monday thru Wednesday and on
Saturday. ‘Course, with the price of an airplane
ticket to New South Wales, it's not much cheaper than
the American Institute, above.
Tea Cup Reading — This is a promotion for a self
published book by a person who was taught [indirectly]
by his/her grandmother, a "renowned" Scottish tea cup
reader. The site features a sample cup and the
resulting reading. Book can be downloaded for US$15.
d. Chat room
Esoteric World News Chat Room. Among many other
topics, tasseography is covered in this room, but you
may need to bring your own friends.
Adapted from:
http://members.aol.com/wazee17th/tasseo.htm
