Turkish coffee is undoubtedly one of the best drinks around. But did you know that you can perform divination through Turkish cup reading?
Yes, that’s right! More than giving drinkers the caffeine boost that they need, Turkish coffee can also be a source of insight, especially for those who have some questions about their future.
But how can this mere beverage tell us about what the future holds? Read on more to find out!
But first, what is tasseography?
Tasseography is a form of divination that uses a cup (tasse) that produces some form of writing (graph). Among the things that you can use here are tea leaves, wine sediments, and of course, coffee grounds.
Although tea leaf reading is more popular, thanks to centuries of European and East Asian influences, Turkish cup reading is among the “highly detailed” ones. It is challenging to master, but the lessons one can derive from this are truly insightful.
Okay, so what is the Turkish cup reading?
At its heart, Turkish cup reading is interpreting the symbols that a person can see inside their coffee cup after drinking. Each character has a meaning, and its significance depends on the amount of space it takes up in the cup.
This kind of divination tells a lot about the drinker’s past, present, and future. Yes, a coffee cup only has small real estate, but the wealth of wisdom and knowledge a person can derive from it is undoubtedly limitless.
However, unlike other forms of fortune-telling, Turkish cup reading shouldn’t be done by the person who wanted to read. Instead, someone else must read and interpret the cup to avoid biases and possible oversight.
Of course, not a lot of people know how to do this art. If you genuinely want to learn how to do it, you can brew your cup of Turkish coffee and try interpreting the symbols shown. Just don’t forget to pass on the knowledge to someone so you can have your Turkish cup reading too!
How can I do Turkish cup reading?
Part 1
As the name suggests, this form of divination needs Turkish ground coffee. This coffee comes from Arabica beans roasted in a specific way, giving it its distinct aroma and strong caffeine punch.
The coffee is prepared in a unique coffee pot. If you don’t have one, you can look up ways to make Turkish coffee independently.
After brewing the coffee, you must pour the liquid inside a white coffee cup. This will help ease reading later on since the color contrast can highlight the essential things that your beverage is telling you.
Drink the coffee slowly from one side of the cup. No sugar or cream allowed in here, though! This will assure that the reading will go “untainted” and that the outcome will only be from the coffee itself.
Make sure to leave a few drops of liquid. About one sip will do. After you finish drinking, make a wish and put a saucer upside down on top of the coffee cup.
Slowly swirl the coffee cup three times in a clockwise manner. Be careful that your force and speed are consistent so you won’t get an erroneous reading.
Finally, flip the entire thing over, making sure that the coffee cup is now facing down. The coffee sediments will drip by themselves. The next part will be handled by the reader, who will give you their interpretation as they go along.
Part 2
After the cup has cooled down, the reader will then remove the cup from the saucer. The drinking vessel will be set aside for a moment as they examine the sediments that dripped out of the cup.
If there are large chunks of coffee grounds all over the saucer, this can be a sign that whatever fears and anxieties that you may have will gradually fade away. On the other hand, a pile of coffee grounds says that your financial situation will get better ASAP.
But Turkish coffee has a reputation for being so thick; sometimes you can barely stir a spoon in it. If the cup and saucer are hard to separate, you can breathe easy- this means that whatever you wished for will come true!
And now, for the moment of truth. The reader will direct their attention to the coffee cup on hand and examine its contents. Professional cup readers have their methods of reading, but the general rule goes like this:
a. The area near the handle tells you things about your love life.
b. The front rim (area furthest from the handle) tells you things about wealth and fortune.
c. The area nearest to where you sipped your coffee tells you about your present.
d. The area across the spot where you sipped tells you your future.
e. The bottom part of the cup tells you what you need to know about your family.
Like any other form of divination, the interpretation of symbols depends on the reader. However, here is a quick rundown of the familiar characters in a Turkish cup reading:
1. Eye
Considering that this tradition’s origin is from the Middle East, having an eye translates to the so-called “evil eye” and is an omen for bad times ahead.
2. Mountain
Just as mountains can block one’s destination, the presence of this symbol in your coffee cup can mean either a physical, emotional, or spiritual barrier between you and your goal or destination.
3. Dog
This creature has always been man’s best friend. Thus, seeing this symbol on your cup will reassure you that you will always have a friend by your side, especially in the trying times ahead.
4. Cross
Having a cross on your coffee cup is a warning that you will be making sacrifices soon. You need to prepare yourself for whatever will happen to you or those whom you value.
5. Boat/ Car/ Any kind of vehicle
You are bound to embark on a journey that will change your life in more ways than one. This will also bring changes in your life; it will be your choice to make these transformations better or worse.
The reader must have an active imagination so that they will see all the symbols in the cup. Another thing to keep in mind is that signs should connect for a coherent and holistic reading.
Final Word
Turkish cup reading is an ancient and noble art of divination. Thus, learning the entire process is crucial for an accurate and fulfilling session.
How you will receive your reading is up to you. Some people may choose not to believe in it. Others will go out of their way to find even the slightest crumb that connects everything.
However, do keep in mind that the final choices that you make are yours alone. Your coffee cup reading will only act as your guide and not the absolute truth.
Be wise and vigilant. No matter your form of divination, it is always your human will that will determine your future.
