The Great Grimoire of Madame

Part 7

MADAME: Dun Dun Duuuuuuuuun. Was he dead? Was she sick? Did she abandon the book?

No my witchlings my Chromebook passed out and I finally got it fixed. I'm so sorry to leave you huffing and annoyed like I would be had a Wattpad author simply abandoned their craft. But no matter I'm back now and I promise no form of consistency. I have new sources for youuu. Go devour Libby. It is an online free kindle type thing connected to your local library which allows you to sign in with a card and pick out whatever(If it is in your local library's database). I have been using it to read a book called SHOUT(Super unrelated but a necessary and realistic collection of heart bruising poems) and a witch book called Reading Tea Leaves by April Wall. So today's Mini Info Chapter is basically a history break down of tea leaves and how people came to read them. I won't tell you what some symbols mean because you should go read the book Reading Tea Leaves. It is a bit more complicated than I'd like for a Mini Info Chapter.

Tasseomancy is the official name for tea leaf reading coming from the words Tasse (cup) and mancy (divination).  Tea leaf reading was most popular during the victorian era and was widely associated with the Romani people. Romani commonly gave readings in all sorts of settings and helped spread Tasseomancy around Europe. Unfortunately Tasseomancy became much less popular when people started making tea with closed teabags; leaving nothing to read at the bottom of the cup. 

Tea readings can be performed for another person or for yourself. Today the person you look into the universe for doesn't even have to be present with you but could be connected by an overseas call or FaceTime from a room over. Tea reading is old but evolving so today symbols like emojis have meaning in the bottom of your tea cup. 

So how should I go about tea reading?

1. Choose the perfect cup.

You should try to look for a white inside for better visibility and the cup must have a handle. You may want to keep the divination cup separate from other cups in your household. Also WASH IT. Someone, you or a guest will drink out of the cup so really get in there with soap and hot water

2. Cleanse your tools. 

Using whatever method you'd like; incense, sound, etc. cleanse your cup. If you use incense swirl the stick smoke down three times counter clockwise to push energies away. Repeat around the outside of your cup.

3. Prepare your cup.

April Wall uses a specific incantation on page ten that you could use but like most things I reckon creating your own little poem for the same purpose will have a stronger effect. You only need to do step three for brand new divination cups. 

4. Prepare yourself. 

Now that your cup is ready you need to clear your mind and concentrate on an intention (yes our favorite word) What question would you or your client like to ask the leaves? How is life going? What are my chances at landing this promotion? How do my friends feel about me? etc. If you have no particular question you should clear your mind and try to think of noting so that the leaves can simply give you new insight. 

5. Make the tea.

Choose a simple oolong lose leaf tea nothing too grainy because it needs character to be legible. Boil your water and pour. Be mindful that someone will end up drinking the tea and by Romani traditions they should down the whole thing with no sugar, honey, or milk. So on one hand you could pour very little tea and have an extremely bitter 3 gulps or space it out by filling the cup and drinking it slowly. Pick your poison. I do suggest that you adhere to Romani traditions so that we are appreciating and not appropriating. (I'm only guilt tripping you if you are guilty...)

6. Ask the leaves

Read your cup and take notes on paper as you move around the cup. You should write what you see and WHERE IT IS. Extremely important, go read Reading Tea Leaves .  Enjoy your newfound gift and tell me all about it. Bye witchlings.

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