Tell Me Your Fortune, Part One

Fortune telling can be a lot of fun and any one can do it, even you.

A long time ago I started compiling different methods of fortune telling with an eye to making a book. Actually, I did make a book, but it's a volume of one that I pull out every once in awhile to have a little fun. But what good is fun if you can't share it? So here I am, sharing it. This is the first in a series of posts I'm doing on some of the more simple methods of fortune telling, the idea being for you to try them out and have some fun.

We start with the age old practice of reading tea leaves.

Tasseography (also known as tasseomancy or tassology) is a divination or fortune-telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves, coffee grounds, or wine sediments.

The terms derive from the French word tasse (cup), which in turn derives from the Arabic tassa (cup), and the Greek suffixes -graph, -logy, and -mancy (divination).

To read someone's tea leaves, you must use loose tea leaves. A small, white cup with no designs or patterns on the inside walls is ideal. Have the person drink the tea, leaving a minute amount of liquid in the bottom of the cup, as well as some tea leaves. Holding the cup in the left hand, he or she should slowly swirl the contents of the cup around three times clockwise. Try to make sure that the leaves are moved towards the rim of the tea cup. Then they should place the cup upside down on the saucer, holding it there for 7 seconds while letting the fluids drain. When the tea cup is placed right side up again, the handle should be facing the reader while he or she interprets the symbols and images.

It is traditional to read a cup from the present to the future by starting along the rim at the handle of the cup and following the symbols downward in a spiral manner, until the bottom is reached, which symbolizes the far future.

Below I’ve listed a few of the traditional meanings of some more common symbols you may see. If you’d like to learn more about reading tea leaves or even just a more comprehensive list of meanings, click HERE

AIRCRAFT – a journey; if broken, danger of an accident; can mean a rise in position
ANCHOR - a lucky sign; success in business and constancy in love; the realization of your wishes.
APPLE - achievement
AXE - difficulties; near the top, overcome.
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.
BUTTERFLY - fickleness.
CANDLE - help from others.
CAT - deceit, a false friend.
CHAIN - an engagement or wedding; an entangled chain means a; a long, thick chain indicates ties you wish to undo; a broken one, trouble in store.
CHAIR - a small chair shows an arrival; a large one, deliberation over a new plan.
CIRCLE - success, completion; with a dot, a baby.
CROSS - expect to meet with hindrances and obstacles; sorrow and misfortune are also indicated.
CROWN - advancement and honor; the attainment of your highest ambition.
CROWN AND CROSS - signifies good fortune resulting from death.
DAGGAR - danger from self or others, beware of recklessness.
DOG - good friend; if at bottom, friend needs help.
DUCK - money coming.
ELEPHANT - wisdom and strength.
FACE - a change, may be a setback.
FEATHERS - large feathers mean achievement and prosperity; to authors, literary success; small feathers denote something of which you are afraid, but which you will meet with courage.
FISH - good news from abroad; if surrounded by dots, emigration.
FORKED LINE - decision.
GOAT---be careful of enemies.
GRAPES - these signify pleasure, abundance, fulfillment, and a life free from care.
GUN - a sign of discord and slander.
HAND---if open, friendship; if closed, an argument.
HEART - pleasures to come; if surrounded by dots, through money; if accompanied by a ring, through marriage.
HORSE - -if galloping, good news; if head only, a lover.
HOURGLASS - need to decide something.
HOUSE - success in business.
IVY, Patience, understanding, steadfastness, and loyal friends.
KITE - wishes coming true.
KNIFE - a warning of disaster through quarrels and enmity.
LADDER - promotion, a rise in life.
LINES - -straight, progress; wavy, uncertain path.
MOON (as a crescent) - prosperity and fortune.
MOUNTAIN - the promise of the realization of a great ambition and of the influence of powerful friends; many mountains indicate obstructions and sometimes powerful enemies in your career.
MUSHROOM - sudden separation of lovers after a quarrel
PALM TREE - a symbol of honor, fame, and victory; increase of wealth, love, and marriage.
PIG - good and bad luck mixed: a faithful lover but envious friends.
QUESTION MARK - need for caution.
RABBIT - fair success in a city or large town.
RING - at top, marriage or an offer of marriage; at bottom, long engagement; if broken, engagement is broken off.
SCALE - legal issues; if balanced a just result; if unbalanced, unjust.
SCISSORS - An unlucky sign of friction between friends; disputing and disagreeableness with married couples; quarrels between lovers; trouble in business.
SHELL - Good luck from an unexpected source.
SHIP - worthwhile journey.
SHOE - change for the better.
STAR - a lucky sign; if surrounded by dots, wealth and honor are foretold.
SWORD - a sign of danger, sudden illness, or even death; it also betokens slander and dangerous gossip.
TREES - a sure indication of prosperity and happiness; surrounded by dots, a fortune in the country.
TRIANGLE - a fortunate meeting, good luck; sometimes an unexpected legacy.
UMBRELLA - if it is open, bad weather and grumbling are foretold; closed, a bit of bad luck which may be avoided.
WINDMILL, success in a venturous enterprise.
WOLF, beware of jealous intrigues.