Tea leaves: Divine dregs



Tea Leaves (Photo by Richard Corner)

A very literal interpretation of “the last shall be first” can be applied to the fine art of tasseography (from the French word tasse “cup” - plus the Greek suffix graph ‘writing”).  If there be cup-writing, then cup-reading is just a few sips away.  Pretty soon, voila (as the French would also say)!  Those very last (half-drowned) tea leaves at the cup’s bottom are now of the utmost significance.

Tasseography (aka tasseomancy “cup-divination” or tassology “cup-study”) is defined by Wikipedia as “a divination or fortune-telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves…”  It is commonly referred to as “the reading of tea leaves.”  When done seriously, it’s not just a matter of gulp and guess.  There are age-old rituals that need to be observed.

The materials themselves must first be carefully chosen.  Those in the know suggest a high-quality tea that is neither cut too finely nor interspersed with dusty debris.  As with the reading of dark print, a light-colored uniform background is easier on the eye.  A white cup with a wide rim and a not-too-narrow bottom would lend itself nicely to the task at hand.

The following steps are now ready to be taken: (1)  Drink the non-strained infusion of non-bagged tea leaves down to within about half a teaspoon of liquefied dregs; (2) With the left hand, hold the upright cup by the handle and turn it three times from left-to-right in one fairly-rapid continuous motion; (3) Then slowly invert the cup and  let all of the liquid part drain; (4) Carefully turn the cup back upright again and begin “reading” the leaves from different vantage points.  (If the moisture has been properly drained away, then turning the cup in order to achieve these different perspectives should not disturb the leaf configurations.)

The configurations can then be “matched up” with pictures and meanings of traditional tasseography symbols.  Because of the cup’s previous inversion, configurations will develop near the rim (showing the near future), on the sides (the somewhat distant future), and on the bottom (distant future).

Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasseography

http://www.readingtealeaves.info/ritual_method.html

Copyright June 10, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved