By Sarah Smithon Monday, 24 Jul 2006 The ancient art of tea leaf reading, or tasseography, is a popular method of divination that involves interpreting patterns made by tea leaves in the bottom of a cup.
The name tasseography derives from the Arabic word 'tassa', meaning cup, and in fact certain cultures use coffee grounds or even wine sediment instead of tea.
Traditionally associated with gypsies, the practice is a way of tapping into the subconscious and is one of the most popular forms of fortune-telling.
A cup of tea should be poured, after which it should be drunk or simply poured away and the cup shaken to get rid of excess liquid.
Next, the diviner looks for patterns and shapes within the tea leaves that remain and interprets them according to certain symbols (for example, a snake may signify an enemy is close at hand).
Practitioners of this ritual believe that the patterns can be given meaning on a third dimensional level.
Tasseography is, most importantly, a way to stimulate the imagination and allow people to create their own ideas and solutions in a nutshell, it is a way to listen to yourself.
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