Tea-Cup Reading and Fortune-Telling by Tea Leaves, by a Highland Seer

In the dim kitchens of Highland Scotland, women gathered after supper to read the future in the dregs of their tea cups. This forgotten manual preserves their secret art: a complete guide to the ancient practice of tea-leaf divination, known today as tasseography. The book walks readers through the ritual from start to finish: how to prepare the cup, which tea to choose, the proper way to leave it to dry, and then the real work begins: interpreting the shapes that settle at the bottom. An alphabetized dictionary of symbols provides meanings for everything from anchors (safe voyage) to zithers (musical talent), complete with cross-references and caveats for context. Practical examples show real readings, complete with the interpreter's reasoning. Whether you believe in fortune-telling or not, this book offers an intimate window into a charming folk tradition, one that turned an everyday domestic ritual into something bordering on the magical.