Tasseography, also called Tasseomancy, is the art of divinations that is associated with the reading of the future from the patterns of tea leaves. Tea is so much more than a beverage. Tea is ingrained in multitude cultures across the globe, so much so that some cultures believe that we can read the future from the patterns the leaves of tea leaves in a cup (both “leaves” mean different here, of course, but I like the way they came together in this sentence. Like chance! Or Fate! Or nothing! That’s what divination is like. For the believers, the patterns left by the dregs in the cup can reveal to them a mystical glimpse into the future or tell them about their past. For the rest, well, it’s just another cup of tea!)
Tasseography is derived from the French word tasse meaning cup, and the Greek suffixes -graphy (meaning writing) or -mancy (meaning the art of divination). Divination is a mystical art that requires the gift of foresight that not everyone is bequeathed with. It also requires years and years of pedantic study and practice. It is true that some people can see the future and there are stuffs beyond our knowing that do exist.
Most of us, over time, have been fascinated by one or the other forms of fortune-telling, have we not? After all, there is some comfort in knowing what the oblivious future holds! Crystal-balls and tarot cards, reading of palms or aligning fate with the stars- there are different mediums in which the fortune-tellers engage in. The first time I came across Tasseography as an art of divination is when Professor Trelawney, the Professor for Divination in the books of Harry Potter reads about “the grim” in Harry’s tea cup. However, when was Tasseography first done is obscure in history. It could have begun in China, the place of origin of tea itself. But its mysteries unfolded with time as it entered the European continent with the roman gypsies who, known for their knowledge of mystics, travelled door to door and read the future from tea leaves. Later, Tasseography began to be carried out in tea parlours and it largely became a part of the European Tea culture.
The interpretations are illustrated in books on Tasseography with their symbols and meanings. The fortune-teller pours a cup and while the querents drink it, they are asked to contemplate what it is that they want to know. Once the tea is drunk, the dregs in the cup are swirled to reveal shapes from which a probable future is read. There is almost a mystical element associated with tea leaf reading. There is insight and instinct, imagination and knowledge, all of which together transpires into a form that give a glimpse into one’s future or past.
(Please visit this link to read about Hibiscus Green tea)
