The art of reading tea leaves is referred to as Tasseography (or Tasseomancy) and is a divination or fortune-telling method that in western tradition interprets patterns in tea leaves. The term also refers to the reading of coffee grounds, especially in the Middle Eastern tradition. The term has also been applied to the reading of wine sediments.
Tea leaf reading is an ancient practice interpreting patterns made by tea leaves in the cup. Although tasseography is commonly associated with Gypsy fortunetellers, the tradition of tea leaf reading arises independently from Asia, the Middle East and Ancient Greece.
Many interpretations for symbols exist, but one common thread is the color of the symbols. Since most cups used are white and the grinds are dark, creating good contrast for the symbols. White is considered as a "good" symbol foretelling of generally positive things for the drinker. The grinds are considered as "bad" symbols foretelling of generally negative things for the drinker.
Symbols can be many things including people, animals, and inanimate objects. The closer the symbol to the top of the cup, the sooner the event will happen. The thicker the symbol, the stronger the impact on the person's life.
Most symbols can be read in both a positive or negative context. This is up to the person doing the reading and always subjective. The best way to interpret a symbol is to view it, then use your psychic abilities to make an interpretation.
Here is an example ... You see the letter 'J' - a common letter in these types of readings. Does 'J' refer to a person, place, event, other. Look at the symbols near the 'J'. Is there another 'J'? Take your time and think it through. Skilled psychics can quickly get the answer. It comes with practice and understanding symbolism