Art of Greek Coffee Fortune Telling
Comments Off on Art of Greek Coffee Fortune Telling
The art of Greek coffee cup fortune telling has always intriguing. Is it possible that reading coffee cups can actually result in making predictions? Whenever I ask people how to do it, they either evade the question, or inform me that most people just make it up. That can’t be all there is to it, can there?
While researching the topic, I learned something interesting. The art of tasseography, or telling coffee-cup fortunes, is actually fairly complex, and it isn’t just Greeks that do it. There’s some form of it present in other cultures, such as in Turkey and other parts of the Middle East. Not only that, but it doesn’t always involve coffee – some people use tealeaves and wine sediment instead.
The important thing to do is learn how to read the various symbols that appear in the grounds so that you can tell an accurate fortune. Here’s an overview on how to tell Greek coffee cup fortunes:
Make the Correct Coffee
According to Greek lore, the coffee needs to be made in the traditional manner using a special pot, or briki. If the coffee doesn’t actually have grounds, you won’t be able to tell the fortune. Brew any amount you desire, and drink it as you normally would. It isn’t enough to simply brew the coffee. You need to let the natural process unfold by enjoying the coffee before you attempt to read the fortune. Click HERE to find out how to prepare Greek coffee!
Prepare the Cup for Fortune Telling
Once the coffee is gone, you next need to prepare the cup. To do this, you’ll first want to turn the cup around clockwise a total of tree times. While turning the cup, be sure to swirl the remaining coffee grounds up the sides, and even spill a little over the top if you feel compelled to. After you’re done, quickly turn it upside down, letting the grounds fall into a napkin or on the table.
Learn How to See Shapes
Turn the cup over so that it is completely upright. By now, the cup will look very messy, with designs and shapes swirling on the sides and at the bottom of the cup. At this point, you need to train yourself to see the real shapes that these swirls represent. By determining what the designs look like, you will be closer to reading the fortune. Once you see the symbols, all you need to do is interpret them.
You can easily read charts that tell you what each symbol means. You can also interpret the shapes by gut feelings and from your own imagination. For example, if you see a shape on the side of the cup that looks like a mountain range, you could tell the individual that they are about to go on a journey. In order to sound really prophetic, you can also remind them that the journey isn’t necessarily physical. This is the basic idea behind telling fortunes.
Most Greek people have had their “coffee cup fortune” told by a family member and whether or not it’s real is up for debate; however, it certainly is fun!
Categorized in: Greek Cooking
This post was written by Greek Boston
