Choose a comfortable, quiet area to conduct your tea reading to set the mood. You’ll need:

• A Pot of Boiling Water
• A Teacup or mug and a saucer (white is best)
• Your favorite loose tea
• A pen and paper to make notes and sketches of impressions during the reading.

Bring water almost to a boil and pour over leaves steeping 3-5 minutes. Pour the tea into your cup and relax, breathing in the aroma and warmth of the tea. If you are right-handed, lift the cup with your left hand and vise-versa.

Drink the tea and clear your mind. Leave a small amount of liquid in the cup. Take a deep breath and swish the leaves counterclockwise three times so that some of the leaves cling to the side of the cup. Focus on the question or subject you wish to address.

Slowly invert the tea cup onto the saucer. Let it rest briefly so that all the liquid is drained and a pattern forms.

Hold the handle towards you and look into the cup for symbols. The handle represents home and the cup is read clockwise. Start at the rim near the handle, and then work your way downward and clockwise in a spiral until you reach the bottom of the cup.

There are 3 sections in your cup. The rim section represents the present, events that just happened or are about to happen. The middle, the near future, the base represents your emotions and events in the distant future. The patterns that appear closest to the handle represent the most current events.

Focus on each tealeaf formation as it appears in the cup. If the form of the tea leaves triggers an instant memory or association that has particular meaning in your life, then interpret this as the correct meaning for your reading.

Note the shapes and figures. Turn the cup and look carefully at it, from all angles. You’ll see patterns that represent various objects. Try to see thee relationship between them. Read the individual symbols as a chain of connected thoughts and meaning. Sketch the symbols and their locations and come back to them later to make further connections.

The following is a list of symbols to help you interpret your tea cup:

ACORN—at the top, success and gain; at the bottom, good health

AIRCRAFT—journey; if broken, danger of an accident; can mean a rise in position

ANCHOR—rest, stability, constancy; clouded, inconstancy

APPLE—achievement

AXE—difficulties; near the top, overcome

BABY—small worries

BAG—a trap; if open, escape

BALL—variable fortunes

BELL—unexpected news; good if near the top

BIRDS—good news

BOAT—visit from a friend, protection

BOOK—open, good news; closed, a need to investigate something

BUSH—new friends or opportunities; something growing in life

BUTTERFLY—fickleness, flirting

CABBAGE—jealousy; with dots, at work

CANDLE—help from others

CAP—trouble, take care

CAT—deceit, a false friend, moody person

CHAIN—engagement, a wedding

CHAIR—a guest

CIGAR—new friends

CIRCLE—success, completion; with a dot, a baby

CLOCK—better health

CLOUDS—trouble; with dots, many problems

COIN—money coming

COMB—an enemy

CROSS—suffering, sacrifice, victory over an ordeal

CUP—reward

DAGGAR—danger from self or others, beware of recklessness

DISH—trouble at home

DOG—good friend; faithfulness, if at bottom, friend needs help

DOOR—odd event

DUCK—money coming

EGG—good omen

ELEPHANT—wisdom and strength

ENVELOPE—good news

EYE—caution

FACE—a change, may be a setback

FAN—flirtation

FEATHERS—lack of concentration

FENCE—limitations, minor setbacks, not permanent

FINGER—emphasizes whatever sign it points at

FIRE—achievement, especially artistic; danger of haste

FISH—good fortune, money, if dot inside stolen item will be returned.

FLAG—danger

FLY—domestic annoyance

FORK—false flattery

FORKED LINE—decision

FRUIT—prosperity

GATE—opportunity, future success

GLASS—integrity

GLOW—a challenge

GOAT—be careful of enemies

GRAPES—happiness

GUN—quarrels, anger

HAMMER—hard work needed

HAND—if open, friendship; if closed, an argument

HARP—love, harmony

HAT—improvement, especially a new job

HAWK—jealousy

HEART—love, pleasure, trust

HORN—abundance

HORSE—if galloping, good news; if head only, a lover

HORSESHOE—good luck

HOURGLASS—need to decide something

HOUSE—security

ICEBERG—danger

INSECT—problems are minor and easily overcome

JEWELS—gifts

KANGAROO—harmony at home

KETTLE—any illness is minor

KITE—wishes coming true

KNIFE—broken friendship

LADDER —promotion, a rise in life

LAMP—at top, a feast; at side, secrets revealed; at bottom, a feast or a party postponed

LEAF—good fortune, new life

LETTER—news

LINES—straight, progress; wavy, uncertain path

LION—influential friends

LOCK—obstacles

LOOP—avoid impulsive action

MAN—near handle, a visitor; clear and distinct, a dark person; vague, a light colored person

MASK—excitement; insecurity

MOUNTAIN—great goals, but also difficulties

MOUNTED HORSEMAN—new man, good news, engagement

MOUSE—theft

MUSHROOM—at top, journey or move to the country; near bottom, rapid growth, but if reversed, frustration

NAIL—injustices, unfairness

NECKLACE—complete, admirers; broken, danger of losing a lover

NEEDLE—recognition, admiration

OAK—health, long life

OCTOPUS—danger

OSTRICH—travel

OWL—gossip, scandal

PALM TREE—success, honor

PARASOL—new lover

PARROT—a journey, but also people talking

PEACOCK—luxury, something to be proud of

PIG—prosperity, possibly greed

PISTOL—danger

PURSE—at top, profit; at bottom, loss

QUESTION MARK—need for caution

RABBIT—need for bravery

RAKE—watch details

RAVEN—bad news

RING—at top, marriage or an offer of marriage; at bottom, long engagement; if broken, engagement is broken off

ROSE—popularity

SAW—interference

SCALE—legal issues; if balanced a just result; if unbalanced, unjust

SCISSORS—quarrels, possibly separation

SHEEP—good fortune

SHELL—good news

SHELTER—danger of loss or ill health

SHIP—worthwhile journey

SHOE—change for the better

SNAKE—an enemy, but also wisdom

SPIDER—reward for work

SPOON—generosity

SQUARE—new home

STAR—health and happiness, hope

SUN—happiness, success, power

SWORD—arguments

TABLE—social gathering

TENT—travel

THIMBLE—changes at home

TORTOISE—criticism, usually beneficial

TOWER—disappointments

TREE—improvements

TRIANGLE—something unexpected

UMBRELLA—annoyances

URN—wealth and happiness

VASE—a friend that needs help

VIOLIN—egotism

VOLCANO—harmful emotions

WAGON—a wedding

WASP—romantic problems

WATERFALL—prosperity

WHEEL—if complete, good fortune; if broken, disappointments

WINGS—messages

WOLF—jealousy

YOKE—domination

ZEBRA—adventure, especially overseas