TASSEOGRAPHY Your future in a Coffee Cup.

by Charles Walker Most people are familiar with tea leaf reading as a method of fortune telling. It gained respectability as a very reliable and popular method of divination throughout the Victorian era and continues to be so today, although perhaps there are less practitioners with the advent of the tea bag. Even so, I have known people to rip open a tea bag in order to get to the tea in order to read the leaves. Although the contents of a tea bag may be finer it is no less effective than 'real' tea. Less familiar, although equally as popular at one time, is the use of coffee for this purpose. One reason for this is perhaps the fact that, like the contents of a tea bag, the coffee grains tend to be finer making the patterns and symbols formed by the coffee residue less distinct. Despite this, and with a little practise, it can be just as accurate and revealling as tea leaf reading. If you are familiar with and have practised tea leaf reading you should really have very little problem with coffee. Although this article is entitled "Tasseography - Your Future in a Coffee cup" the method described below involves the use of a small plate. There is a very good reason for this and it by no means makes the operation any less effective. Using coffee involves studying much smaller particles making it that much more difficult and a plate therefore lends itself better to accurate interpretation. If however you feel better using a cup, which is how it should be done, or wish to change from plate to cup after some practise then do so. The basic method is the same for either. Although some authorities have devised somewhat long drawn out and relatively complicated systems of preparing oneself for divination using both tea and coffee, they are not necessary. The method is very simple indeed. Make yourself a fresh pot of coffee and relax whilst you drink it. Relaxation is really all you need as far as preparing yourself. Having drunk the coffee leave the residue in the bottom of the pot to dry out slightly after which you should warm the pot again whilst gradually adding a cup of water. It is important that the water is only warmed and not boiled. When it is sufficiently warm take a small, clean, preferably plain white plate as even a small design or mark will cause confusion when studying the patters left by the coffee

residue. Carefully pour the liquid onto the plate until it is approximately half full or there is sufficient to distribute the residue over the plate. The marks and residue left on the plate can then be interpreted by studying the various patterns and shapes formed. This, intially at least, is the most difficult part of the operation. As I have said it is a little more difficult than with tea because the residue is that much finer. At first glance it may seem impossible to distinguish any particular shapes or patterns but close examination and a little timr will reveal all. The following is a list of the main patterns and images which will appear at some time. It should be remembered that each image should be read in relation to the others around it. If a bad sign has a good one on each side of it then it will be either cancelled out or at least its effect much reduced. AEROPLANE: New projects or promotion at work which may involve travel of one sort or another. Any damage to the aircraft indicates career problems unless you check the situation quickly. Study any deals in which you play an important part before documents are signed. ARC: Wherever this appears it is a bad sign because it indicates problems. The arc should always be interpreted in relation to nearby symbols. If it appears to be more distinct than its neighbours then its influence will prevail rather than any good indicated by another symbol. If it appears relatively isolated then the problems will concern health and may be brought about by an accident. ANCHOR: A holiday trip which will prove very successful. This could relate

either to a personal relationship or a business deal. If on the other hand it appears at the bottom of the cup or centre of the plate some unexpected difficulties could arise. BELL: A single bell indicates good news brought to you by a visitor. Two bells are extremely lucky and generally accepted as relating to marriage. BIRDS: A lucky omen usually indicating that good news of some sort is on its way to you.

BOOK: Whatever their position, books are not particularly good. The degree of bad luck does depend on their position in the cup or on the plate. The nearer they are to the bottom or centre the more influence they will have over their neighbouring symbols. BRIDGE: Providing there are no bad omens nearby you could save time and gain considerably by taking any short cuts which present themselves. CAT: Cats have never been good omens because of their association with witches and dark occult forces. It therefore comes as no suprise to discover that they are indicative od treachery and false friendship. CIRCLE: If a circle appears close to a bad sign it indicates that there will eventually be a successful outcome although it will not come as quickly as you might have wished. The circle is generally seen as a good sign unless it appears in the centre of the plate in which case events in your life as a whole will tend to go against you. CROSS: Whether there be one or more, crosses generally indicate suffering of one sort or another. A period of illness is indicated by two crosses.

DOG: A good symbol relating to friendships. If however the dog should appear in the centre of the plate or bottom of the cup, depending on which you are using, a friend is in trouble. DOT: These are often missed because there appear to be so many single particles and larger clusters. However if there is a very distinct cluster which could only be interpreted as a dot it should not be overlooked. On its own it has very little influence. Therefore if it is quite near a good symbol such as an anchor, a holiday or trip could turn out to be more enjoyable and rewarding than you first thought. Of course if near a bad symbol it will serve to make things worse. EYE: Be cautious where business is concerned. EGG: A sign of good luck and prosperity. This will override a moderately bad sign nearby. ENVELOPE: Good news is indicated.

FISH: An extremely good omen for all affairs. If it appears near the centre of the plate it indicates luck but to a lesser degree. FLOWERS: In most instances a flower is a good omen relating to health matters particularly if the shape is most definately that of a rose. If you can see a bush anywhere on the plate or in the cup then there will be a minor setback. GLASS: You will be able to handle any problems which come your way. GOAT: Another bad omen because the animal tends to be associated with dark occult forces. For many people the goat's head represents everything that is evil. For the purposes of divination it represents your enemies, who are a very definate threat to you at the moment. HARP: A good omen for personal relationships. If this appears in the vicinity of one or more hearts an existing or forthcoming marriage will be long-lasting and full of happiness for both parties. HEART: A good omen wherever it appears, representing love and marriage. HORSE: This concerns personal relationships and points to better times ahead with your chosen partner. Should the figure appear in the centre of the plate however a partnership will almost certainly end shortly. LADDER: Your career prospects are very good. Promotion is indicated. LEAF: News is on its way. Whether it is good or bad very much depends on the symbols around it. LINES: Very prominent straight lines indicate good luck and progress. How good that progress will be in relation to the question being asked by the querent will depend on how many lines are involved and what the other symbols and shapes around them show. Wavy lines point to there being obstacles along the way, but they are by no means impossible to over come. MASK: Take care when dealing with strangers, they may not be all they seem. MONSTER: A bad omen whatever shape or form it takes. OWL: A bad omen which indicates certain disaster in any new ventures at the moment. In business this could mean considerable financial loss. Be cautious for a while. PEAR: A good omen as far as financial affairs are concerned. Depending on the symbols which appear near it the could be a considerable gain.

QUESTION MARK: Uncertainty and indecision. SCISSORS: Generally indicative of a break or seperation it must be viewed in relation to symbols around it. Strained relationships, be they personal or business, should be looked at carefully. SNAKE: Your enemies are working towards your downfall and you should pay extra attention to what is going on around you at the moment or they may succeed in their aims. SQUARE: Trouble or problems directly involving the enquirer which could result in some sort of confinement (prison?). Several squares or 'windows' indicate theft of personal possessions. TREE: Advancement in your career is indicated. TRIANGLE: Pointing upwards in the case of a cup or towards the centre of a plate

it indicates success generally and specifically within you career. Three triangles close to each other are a particularly good omen. If pointing downwards the triangle indicates that plans will not go as you had hoped. WOMAN: This suggests happiness and pleasure with your partner if married. If single, a female who will play an important part in your future.
Copyright: Charles Walker 2007