Tea leaf reading, or tasseography as it is formally known, is an art that has been practised for centuries, and my approach to it is one rooted in simplicity, intuition, and a deep respect for the story held within every cup. At Tea With Karin, I believe that reading tea leaves is not something reserved for the gifted few — it is an accessible and deeply personal practice that anyone can learn, and the way I teach and demonstrate it reflects that philosophy entirely.
My method begins, as all good things do, with a cup of tea. I use loose leaf tea brewed directly in the cup, allowing the leaves to move freely and settle naturally as the tea is drunk. There is no rigid formula here — the drinker holds the cup, turns it three times with the left hand, and then upturns it onto the saucer, allowing the remaining liquid to drain away and the leaves to form their pattern against the inside of the cup. What remains is a landscape of symbols, clusters, and shapes, each one carrying meaning and message for the person whose hands have held that cup.
Reading those leaves requires both knowledge and intuition working in harmony. I draw on a library of over 200 symbols that I have studied, refined, and documented over many years of practice, including the 32 carefully chosen symbols hand-painted onto my Fortune Teller Teacups in 24-carat gold. The position of each symbol within the cup matters enormously — leaves near the rim speak to the present moment, those in the middle reflect the near future, and those settled at the base carry messages about what lies further ahead on the path.
What sets my approach apart is the emphasis on storytelling over rigid interpretation. Each reading is a conversation between the reader, the symbols, and the person being read for. I encourage students to trust their instincts, to notice what draws their eye first, and to allow the reading to unfold rather than forcing meaning onto every leaf. Whether you are reading for yourself in a quiet morning ritual or sharing the experience with friends gathered around a table, the process is always intimate, always revealing, and always guided by the understanding that where there is tea, there is love.
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