As a coffee lover, have you ever attended a tea leaf reading and wondered, “why should tea get all the fortune telling glory?” If so, know that you are not alone and luckily for you, coffee fortune telling exists!
Reading: Reading coffee cup
In this article, we’re going to take a lighthearted look at coffee fortune telling. We’ll cover the history and cultural background of coffee divination, compare and contrast the traditions and ceremonies of coffee divination and tea leaf reading, and give you some tips to try it for yourself. you are going to love this guide, we have read it in the coffee grounds.
a brief history of tasseography: the art of reading Turkish coffee grounds
Taseography is a general term that refers to any attempt to divine future events by reading tea leaves, wine sludge, or coffee grounds. Telling the future is one of the oldest human traditions, but telling the future by reading the leftovers in a cup of tea came to the Western world along the trade routes between Asia and the British Empire.
It is difficult to pinpoint the origin of tasseography as a whole, but the earliest publication on the subject of reading tea leaves is a book aptly titled Reading Tea Leaves, written sometime in the 18th century.
telling fortunes in leftover coffee grounds has a similar history, but is predominantly a Turkish tradition due to the common practice of leaving the grounds in the cup when drinking Turkish coffee. unfiltered coffee leaves behind thick sediment, creating intriguing patterns that defy would-be forecasters to attempt to interpret.
superfine grinds and superstitions
Turkish coffee uses an ultra-fine, powdery grind that makes it difficult to filter and easier to leave in the cup, giving rise to the swirls and patterns used in coffee divination.
The practice of coffee divination is very individual, although there are some general principles that most practitioners follow to maintain the tradition. a common method is to divide the cup in half so that one half is used to discern past events and the other to predict the future.
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A similar method also divides the glass in half but uses the halves to separate positive and negative events. a certain symbol or pattern appearing on one half will have a positive connotation, while the same symbol appearing on the other half will be interpreted negatively.
Virtually all Turkish coffee divination sessions begin by covering the coffee cup with a saucer and turning it upside down. this chaotic procedure stirs up the coffee grounds and gives the seer interesting patterns and designs to work with.
common patterns and themes
If you want to try coffee reading for yourself, here are some common patterns to look for. stringing them together to tell a story is a skill that takes time and practice to master and is where the true skill in tasselography lies.
1. lines
The vertical stripes along the walls of the cup represent a person’s aspirations. a trail of coffee that extends to the rim of the cup is indicative of a bright future for the corresponding goal it represents. incomplete lines indicate uncertainty and that a goal may not be achieved.
2. points
A small cluster of dots is a sign that your financial future is bright.
3. triangles
Triangular patterns represent change. this pattern is related to the delta symbol used in mathematics to indicate intervals between changing numbers and quantities.
4. circles
Round shapes and circles indicate success and integrity.
5. squares
rectangular shapes and squares represent comfort and peace and herald calm days ahead.
6. numbers
See also: How To Make Vietnamese Coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá)
Numbers have a double interpretation in coffee readings. a specific number could represent a simple amount of time; for example, a “2” along with a vertical line that reaches the rim of a cup could indicate that a goal was achieved in the next 2 weeks.
Numbers also have more abstract meanings.
the truth of the coffee divination
Of course, the pattern formed at the bottom of a cup of Turkish coffee has no predictive power, but the art and practice of reading coffee is a lot of fun. Experienced coffee grounds readers are adept at reading their customers and can tell fantastic stories from the disparate signs and symbols on your cup.
We highly recommend you go for a coffee if you get the chance. Watching an expert create a story from thin threads with nothing to follow is a wonderful experience.
Practicing coffee reading or other forms of tasseography is good practice for quickly thinking outside the box. reading ground coffee for someone else can help you be more aware of other people’s moods and body language.
We hope you enjoyed this brief introduction and guide to coffee fortune telling! Next time you make a cup of Turkish coffee, give your ground coffee a try and see what comes to mind. We already know what you’ll see, but we won’t spoil it for you.
featured image credit: grandparents, shutterstock
See also: 15 Types of Coffee Makers and How to Find the Best One for You
