1. Fill the cup 3/4 full with hot water and add the tea leaves
2. Allow tea to brew for 2-3 minutes. You still can add sugar or honey for the taste. Make sure that your mind has been cleared and relaxed enough.
3. Once the tea is cool enough, hold your cup with your NON-DOMINANT hand and sip your tea.
Once relaxed, identify the issue foremost in your mind. As you attempt to think of nothing in particular, is there a stubborn thought that keeps returning to your attention? If so, that is the subject of this reading. Focus on that thought. If nothing in particular comes to mind, then this will be a general tea leaf reading. Focus on your breath and the taste of the tea.
Leave a small amount of tea at the bottom of your cup.
4. Hold your nearly empty teacup in your hand and give it three good swirls. The tea leaves will disperse around the interior of cup. Gently dump out the remaining liquid by turning your teacup over into a saucer. Wait at least three breaths before turning your cup back over.
5. Begin reading the leaf from the handle and read clockwise. Make a notation of the first symbol you see. Mentally divide the cup into three sections: rim, middle and base.
Rim - area is above the tea level when you first poured your tea represents the current moment in time.
Middle - area between the rim and bottom, represents near future (2 weeks)
*Both the rim and middle section represent influences in your outcome.
Base - The bottom of the cup below the middle section, represents the ultimate answer or conclusion.
6. Open your
textbook and write your results in a parchment.