Coffee reading is a form of tasseography, otherwise known as fortune-telling. The practice involves interpreting shapes and signs within the coffee grounds to gain insight into a person’s past and future, seeing things that are otherwise considered unknown.
The term tasseography comes from a combination of the French word ‘tasse’, which translates to cup, and the Arabic word ‘graph’, meaning writing. As well as coffee grounds, tea leaves or wine sediments can also be used to practice the same method of fortune-telling.
How to read coffee
To prepare, the fortune teller will make a strong drink of Turkish coffee. It is very important to use a white, porcelain cup rather than anything dark, glass, or plastic. This should be drunk alone without adding any sugar or sweetener. Then, the fortune-teller (reader) will address the coffee spiritually creating a bind between the fortune seeker’s thoughts and the drink.
The seeker is asked to drink the coffee in a certain number of sips, usually 1, 3, or 5. After this, the reader will cover the cup with the saucer and move the pair around in counter-clockwise movements. The cup is then turned upside down onto the saucer for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the sediments to drain and cool.
At this point, if the seeker is more interested in relationship prophecies, they can place a ring on the base of the cup. If they’re focused on money, they can place a coin on it. This section is optional and does not need to be done.
The first part of the reading starts as soon as the fortune-teller lifts the cup from the saucer.
- If a large clump of the grounds falls from the cup, then it is a positive sign that all of the seeker’s worries are leaving them.
- A perfectly shaped mound of coffee means that money is coming soon.
- In some countries, a full circle around the coffee rim is good fortune, whereas a broken one means otherwise.
- If the cup does not separate from the saucer immediately, then it’s called a ‘Prophets Cup’. At this point, there is no need to continue the reading, as it symbolizes that all of the seeker’s wishes will come true, although most people chose to carry on anyway.
Types of coffee reading
Although there are a great number of ways to interpret the coffee, the two most common methods are described below;
The Five Section Reading
The cup is divided into five general sections that each have a different representative meaning.
Placed with the handle of the cup pointing towards the reader – the handle area shows love and relationships, directly opposite the handle relates to wealth and money, the left side of the handle is for the seeker’s present situation, the right side is for future, and the bottom of the cup symbolizes home and family.
The Past, Present, and Future Reading
This is where the bottom of the cup symbolizes the past, the midsection represents the present, and the area around the rim shows the future.
Where did coffee reading come from?
It is most commonly known that coffee reading was an original Turkish tradition dating back to the 16th century. The practice is most common in Turkey and Greece, however, it also appears in Middle Eastern countries and Russia.
In more recent years, popularity has spread to the UK, Australia, Canada, and North America. Regardless of which country coffee is read in, it will always be done with Turkish coffee, as any other kind is not dense or dark enough to be efficient.
What do the symbols mean in coffee reading?
Shapes
Dots – You will receive either money or a message soon.
: – Good luck.
Circle – Complete/overall success.
Lines – Vertical lines represent goals that you have for your life. The thicker and dark the line is, the better the outcome for the goal. It is also favourable for the line to reach the rim of the cup. Straight lines show a clear and specific path for your goals, whereas a wavy one is uncertain.
! – Danger or excitement.
Triangle – Change is coming soon to your life.
? – Concern or a question that you want the answer to. If the question mark has the dot, then your question will be answered. If there is no dot, the question will remain.
Square – Tranquility, peace, and comfort.
Letters
B – Conflict.
L – Lies.
Y – Crossroads or decisions.
I – Surprise
R – Relief.
N – Rejection.
Z – An ending.
S – Happiness.
V – Victory.
Numbers
Zero – The feeling of going round in circles or that things in your life are repeating themselves.
One – Something new will be starting soon.
Two – Indecisiveness between two choices.
Three – Something will happen in 3 days or 3 months, or expresses a meeting.
Four – Misfortune or jealousy.
Five – Offers success.
Six – Sex.
Seven – A new love/relationship.
Eight – Double luck.
Nine – A new offer.
Animals
Eagle – Honour.
Fox – Betrayal.
Elephant – Good health.
Bird – Money or gift.
Horse – Love adventure.
Owl – Sickness or poverty.
Cat – Bad friendships.
Snake – Jealousy.
Fish – Career achievement.
Goat – Enemies.
Other
Hammer – Challenge.
Bean – Financial problems.
Mountain – A temporary obstacle.
Butterfly – Confusing friendships or friends turning against you.
Face – A loved one is worried about you.
Fire – Passion.
Kettle – Death.
Clouds – Trouble.
Apple – Long life.
Knife – Hatred.
Scissors – Break-up.
Tree – Prosperity.
Is coffee reading true?
There is no definitive right or wrong in coffee reading. Across the globe, there are several people who believe in the practice, and there have been multiple cases where coffee readers have rightfully predicted future happenings.
It is important to remember that coffee reading is about translating the entire impression rather than isolated symbols. Expert readers can relate the shapes within the grounds to certain events.
Nonetheless, it is understood that each shape or symbol may have a different meaning depending on the country, and different cultures have different approaches.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.