Tasseography: Read the Leaves

Happy Halloween, tea lovers!

We hope you are feasting well and gathering with loved ones as the veil thins this samhain. As we have been promised a particularly rainy and cold Halloween, we also hope you are enjoying your favourite loose-leaf tea by candlelight. Perhaps, should you so desire, you could engage in an ancient tea practice: tasseography (or 'tea leaf reading').

What is tea leaf reading?

Reading the leaves is an ancient form of divination - so ancient, in fact, that nobody quite knows where it originated. In order to read the leaves, the loose tea and hot water must be allowed to infuse in the teacup without impingement. As the person drinks the tea, they meditate on a particular conundrum or question. Where the leaves settle within the cup, and any shapes which are formed once the beverage has been consumed are said to reveal answers. 

The Ritual

Choose a cup that is bright within, with few patterns to distract or mislead your reading of the leaves.

Prepared with the knowledge that we are seeking insight from shapes left by leaves, it is logical (and more enjoyable a drinking experience) to choose a tea with big leaves. Not only does this make your drinking experience more pleasant, but often creates more interesting shapes. 

As mentioned above, sip your tea whilst meditating on the question that you would like greater insight to. Stop drinking once there is about a teaspoon of liquid left, and swirl the cup thrice counter-clockwise to distribute the leaves. Inspect your cup.

Placement of leaves - typically, where the leaves have settled within your cup can add a temporal nuance to your reading. Leaves nearer the rim of the cup signify the near future, the mid section a little farther into the future, and the bottom can be months or even years away. Pay attention to the shaping and placement of your leaves at this stage and observe your own interpretation and your response to that before seeking external guidance. Your own intuition is often more telling, as the message is for you!

There are, however, traditional associations of shapes and meanings that can aid you if you are utterly confused by your leaves, and don't worry if they don't immediately look like any one thing in particular. Sometimes the mere process of looking into your cup with gentle curiosity can lead you to the answer your seek. 

The important thing is to have fun with this. Tea leaf reading can be rewarding and provide greater insight into your own thought process, even if you do not find answers externally. And, with Char teas as your future-fuel, the worst case scenario is that you have a lovely cup of tea!

Explore our scarily delicious range of loose leaf tea here...if you dare.