15.2. MEANING OF SYMBOLS:(N to Z)
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NUMBERS — An indication of time, such as days or weeks, always relative to other symbols in the cup.

OWL — Trouble emanating from illness or death of friend or relative.

PALM TREE — A happy and contented married life.

PIPE — Don’t look for trouble; keep an open mind.

RING — The marriage symbol; look for a number and an initial near the ring. On bottom of cup – postponement of an engagement or marriage.

SAW — Warning of an impending obstacle or interference.

SCISSORS — Near rim of cup – quarrels ending in separation; near handles – domestic unhappiness; on bottom – estrangement or reversals in occupational problems.

SHIP – Generally means journeys; new rim – very unexpected, need to leave in a hurry; near handle – in reference to business or the home.

SNAKE — Represents an enemy or small misfortune.

SPADE — Be industrious; usually rewarded with plenty of money.

SPIDER — Secretiveness; warning of an Unpleasant artifice or ruse.

SQUARE — A protective agent in case of danger or accident.

STAR — The symbol of destiny, the promise of fulfillment of one’s fondest hopes and aspirations.

SWORD — Complications in both personal and business life.

TENT — Desire to travel far away; need for rest or retreat from present surroundings.

TREE — promise of good health and comfort; several trees – a practical wish will materialize.

TRIANGLE — Near the rim – time to begin new enterprises; near the handle – successful ventures can be followed; an upside down triangle – bad luck, need to diligently reason and weigh every step before starting any new project.

UMBRELLA — Open, seek your friends in time of trouble; closed – temporarily unable to get what you want.

VASE — Service to friends brings you great peace of mind.

WHEEL — Symbol of advancement through personal effort; near rim – unexpected money, rebate, or increase of salary and dividends.

WINDMILL — Schemes of gigantic magnitude could turn your industrious plans into money for yourself and others.

WOMAN – Desire for wealth and a happy family.

It requires a little study to become familiar with the shapes that make the symbols formed by the tea leaves, but after a few attempts your imagination takes over. From then on, weave a story, starting at the handle. If you go left, identical with the consultant’s left, the immediate area of the cup deals with the past. As you proceed the future builds. A leaf on the rim, which is the present time, indicates something that is happening at the moment at a different location. A long stem that is very noticeable at first glance represents a man who is interested in something that pertains to the consultant. A short stem is for a woman who is planning something for the consultant.

Any obviously striking symbol lying on the bottom of the cup should be noted immediately because this shows the importance it bears to the consultant at some very distant date. Check all the easily discernible symbols first, look for initials, numbers, dots, lines. Note the clarity of each symbol, remembering that if they are cloudy or indistinct their importance is greatly lessened. If very cloudy their meaning becomes the reverse.

Coffee grounds can be used instead of tea leaves, but the resets are never as good, the obvious reason being the lack of leaves, which increase the number of symbols.