TASSEOGRAPHY

Tasseography is an ancient method of divination, of interpreting patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds or wine by ‘reading’ and interpreting the sediment that remains after the liquid has been consumed. You may see numbers, letters, words musical notes and sometimes clearly recognizable images of people, animals, specific objects and whatever else you can imagine! I most often see mystical beings and those images are what my current paintings are based on. It’s extremely helpful when you do see a specific animal to check out the meaning of it in different cultures until you find what resonates with you. An excellent resource is  https://www.whats-your-sign.com/

It is always interesting to look through a book of symbols, but don’t let that limit you from discovering your own interpretations! There is never one ‘right’ answer to symbolic meaning. The only limitation for cup reading is the imagination of the reader.

From ancient through contemporary times

in Greece, Asia, the Middle East, Scottish and Irish cultures and in cultures throughout Eastern Europe, people have been seeking answers to their questions through objects, patterns, abstract images, clouds, the bark of a tree and more. It is now and always has been human nature to seek answers to our questions by interpreting various patterns and symbols. 

Cultures of the Middle East that practice divination in this fashion use leftover Turkish coffee grounds.

· Western tasseography can be linked to medieval Europeans who developed their readings from splatters of wax, lead and other molten substances. 

· Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England have produced a number of practitioners and authors on the subject, and English potteries have crafted many elaborate (demitasse) cup and saucer sets specially designed and decorated to aid in tasseography. 

For each demitasse cup (2-4 oz.) fill cup about ¾ full with water and pour the water into an Ibrik/Cezve or if you don’t have one, a small saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of the best coffee (finely ground, known as Turkish grind')  for each cup. You can add sugar and cardamom if desired. Place your ibrik on the stove and bring it just to boiling. Pour into cups, serve and enjoy! It’s always nice to have cakes or cookies with your coffee.

When you’ve finished drinking your coffee, turn the cup upside down and place it on the saucer. Leave it there a few minutes to drain. Tap the bottom of the cup and turn it right side up. If you are doing this with more people than just yourself, hand your cup to someone else and let them ‘read’ what they see. You might be surprised!

I recommend using genuine Turkish coffee, which is readily available. You can also find an ibrik and beautiful demitasse cups online