Details of the Ritual of Turkish Coffee Reading

The Turkish coffee reading starts with the querent (the person seeking his or her fortune) drinking a cup of fine-ground coffee from a ceramic teacup with a saucer. This is also referred to as the art of tasseography.

While drinking the coffee, the querent should attempt to achieve the right state of mind for the fortune telling to be meaningful and accurate. He or she should be relaxed, focused, and open to the experience.

As the coffee is consumed, fine ground sediments are left to settle. It is the sediments remaining on the bottom of the cup that are used in the reading.

Once the coffee has been consumed, the ritual begins. The saucer is placed on top of the cup, the cup is turned and then flipped. The upside-down cup is then left to cool on the saucer, the cup is removed, and the grounds are revealed.

The reading of the grinds is a ritual in two parts:

• Roya interprets the residual grounds in the cup and on the saucer. Symbols are revealed in pattern of coffee grounds. These symbols are powerful and can deliver insights into the past as well as indications of future happenings.

• Next, the querent makes a wish or asks a specific question, and then uses the left index finger to mark the grounds at the inside bottom of the cup. This mark can illuminate the outcome of the wish or answer the question.

Most sessions last from 20 to 25 minutes, and can be repeated as often as weekly or monthly depending on the querent’s needs.