Tea Leaf Reading

Tea Leaf Reading

Last week, on the full moon, I took a “Beginner’s Tea Leaf Reading Course.”

Penny Lighthall of PathWay Connections was the instructor for an intimate group of five students.  She began by introducing us to the history and purpose of tea leaf reading.

This ancient practice of interpreting patterns made by tea leaves in a cup is called Tasseography, otherwise known as tasseomancy or tassology.  “Tasse” or “tass” is an Arab word, meaning small cup or goblet.

Penny herself has been giving tea leaf readings for many years, beginning at age nine under the instruction of her grandmother.  Penny now views tea leaf readings not as a “fortune telling activity at parties” but rather as readings of wisdom, guidance, understanding and compassion.  She relies on her intuitive abilities, years of symbol work and “guidance from the universe.”  Penny doesn’t try to change anyone’s life nor tell anyone what to do; rather she offers information for them so that they can make “informed choices” of their own.

She guided us through the history and ritual involved in tea leaf reading.  Then she refined our learning, as we each completed two readings for each other.  Again the emphasis was on telling us something about ourselves, rather than to do fortune telling or future prediction.

The class was about “learning to see” the images in the tea leaves, as well as learning to recognize the intuitive process in ourselves, then combining those to find meaning for the seeker.  The ability to focus attention and intention worked well; I was amazed at the information that complete strangers gave me about myself in my readings.  They saw that I had been in a brief, life-altering relationship with a man from Australia, and that I am now in the throws of helping my mother move, plus two other events that I won’t share.

I know I’ll enjoy giving tea leaf readings; the more I offer the more proficient I’ll become.

Tea, anyone?