Andor's Tome of Stuff : )

Tasseography / Tea Leaf Reading contin.

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 counter clockwise. 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.

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.

•Let the tea steep for a few minutes
•Drink the tea, but leave a teaspoon or so of it in the cup.
•Do not empty the cup.
•Take the handle of the tea cup in your left hand and quietly ask for help to read your future.
•Now, swirl the cup in a counter-clockwise direction.
•Take a saucer and invert the cup on the saucer.
•Leave the cup on the saucer for about minute so all the contents of the cup can drain away.
•Slowly, turn the cup up from the right.
•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 at 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.

•Try to clear your mind of any thoughts.
•Trust your first impressions.
•Do not second guess yourself. Let the process guide you.
•Do not rush the process. Let it come to you naturally.
•Calmly examine the shapes of the tea leaves and how it is distributed.
•Do not try to force an answer. Observe the tea leaves in-depth and let the answer naturally appear to you.
•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.
•Do not read leaves in a time-bound manner.
•Leaves space for ambiguity. Tea leaf reading provides indications.
•The meaning of the indications changes based on the content.

Basics of Reading Tea Leaves

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 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.

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.