Divination from a coffee cup is probably the best known mantic skill in the world. Even though ways of preparing coffee, worlds most favourite refreshing beverage, changed over centuries, residue is also less and less seen in our cups, human desire for decoding signs of destiny, especially divination with coffee, stayed unchanged since the Persian times, where this type of divination originated.
Since the time of the discovery of quahve (literal translation of this word is “refreshing”) bush in Yemen and Ethiopia many centuries ago, coffee became a pleasure for all layers of society. Because of its taste it inspired numerous devoted minds and a brilliant statement by Talleyrand, Napoleon’s minister, which read “coffee black as the devil, hot as hell, clear as an angel and sweet as love!”
Whether we call it kahva, kafa, coffee, kafe it is always a call for socialisation and discussion, and sometimes even a flirt. That’s why it’s positive social effect is undeniable. Similarly, without a warm cup of morning coffee many of us couldn’t literally open their eyes and start their day and as such it represents a beverage for awakening consciousness, cognition and strength to keep moving. With coffee many think of things that they need to do that day since it awakens concentration and gives strength to muscles.
Coffee is without a doubt a magical beverage and we shouldn’t be surprised that on the territory of today’s Iran decided to divine from the residue of coffee, especially since coffee had numerous effects on people. It is quite evident that this unknown diviner didn’t even suspect that with his imaginative inspiration he accidentally opened up a road to world fame to one of the most prominent divination methods.
With the advent of the Ottomans to the Balkans, drinking coffee became widespread and then a sudden interest for this divination method increased. Because of its availability divination with coffee became entertainment of idle women and girls who desired to reveal their luck in love.
Since the old days such diviners were called among the folk gledalice or faletarke. That divination with coffee residue is given full attention and effort is best proven by the ceremonial performance of coffee preparation, even before the main divination which occurs once the finished cup is turned upside down, the diviner would interpret the appearance of the foam, whether the coffee got spilt, etc. But, after drinking an unsweetened cup of coffee the atmosphere would become tense and people would wait anxiously for the diviner to take the cup in her hand and begin her presentation.
Sugar cube for better interpretation
Ritual of designating a coffee cup in Bosnia works as follows; let’s say that the client’s name is Melina. After drinking coffee, the diviner takes the coffee cup and asks the client what specifically she would like to know. Usually people would say what their burning issue is such as love issues, work, home or marital relationships, exams, trips, and the like. If we’re talking about love then the name of the loved person must be used. We’ll take for example that the man which interests Melina is called Edvin. Since she gathered the necessary info the diviner offers the cup to the client, so that the client can blow in it, then she turns the cup clockwise and says quietly;
Melina drinks this coffee and dedicates
in the name of Hazrat Fatima and Hazrat Alija,
in the name of Hazrat Fatima and Hazrat Alija,
their din and iman,
god’s knowledge, and this cup,
to her destiny with Edvin.
If there is any it should be shown,
and if there is none let it be known!
For the readers which do not understand the meaning of the word din and iman the shortest explanation is the words faith and belief. This so called fal-basma (divination formula) is interesting because the words Hazrat Fatima and her husband Ali, daughter and son in law of prophet Muhammad are mentioned, in folk belief of Iran and Turkey to the two of them people ascribe divination capabilities with the help of beans and coffee.
The cup is then turned upside down on the small saucer and a sugar cube is placed on top of it. In the past there was a custom that the client before the divination process places a bank note underneath the saucer whit which he intends to pay the divination, to which it was usually said “to luck” i.e. for the cup to “open up” better. The money would be taken by the diviner before the process of divination started. After five minutes, which is quite enough for the spilled figures in the residue to take form and dry, the diviner turns the cup and places the sugar cube in her mouth or slowly breaks it and during the divination process places pieces of it on her tongue. It is not an accidental gesture, instead it has its logical and motivational sense. Namely, as sugar is usually a candy and favourably effects mood of people, it is evident that the diviner , with such an incentive be in a much better mood for divination.
Before the interpretation places which have special characteristics are clearly defined, this especially relates to the bottom of the cup which is called the “house” but also “heart”. Everything above the bottom, which is located on the walls of the cup, is characterised as “circle of destiny”, it begins from the handle and goes in circle, clockwise, ending at the starting point. Figures on the edge of the cup or close to it represent the present and those in the middle or at the bottom of the cup symbolises the future. The side which the client used to drink the coffee symbolises the sex, in this case female, and the one opposite male sex.
Traces of negative energy
Show of love, mutual feelings, engagement, marriage are those, they could be called as such, classic one such as heart, ring, sun, rose and the like. Besides, to all those which are interested in this divination skill, more or less are familiar with most of the symbols therefore I will use this opportunity and transfer some extraordinary interpretations of the cup according to some Bosnian coffee diviners. They’re extremely valuable, since they’re a result of empirical knowledge, and can help in detecting individual hidden motives and their consequences. Namely, it is known that with each mantic skill one can find out what is eventually behind an issue which is troubling a person. Their radius is pretty extensive; from the accidental contact with negative energy, where we can mention spellbound eyes, targeted evil (magic, chronic envy, curses) or even destructive influence of one’s own thoughts )mental blockade, fear, shock). All the mentioned forms influence a person in a different way, his physical and mental state, and with that his own destiny.
As a person which has been practicing esotery I’m inclined to warn you that towards the issue of possible negative influences you should approach carefully and before you conclude anything eliminate all possible causes. Or simply said, don’t judge hastily if in one divination (cup) you see some of the below mentioned symbols.
Repeat divination after three or more days and if you see an identical sign then you have little room to doubt.
Signs of negative influence
Collection of little dots on a plate can implicate that someone has placed dirt from a grave on your threshold.
Black cat implies presence of black magic. When that symbol is seen in a cup one should consider in detail what is located around it, in order to discover from whom or from which direction it is coming.
A figure of a bat reveals that you are a victim of love magic, you must inquire to whom do you feel attracted lately or towards whom you have undefined feelings.
Eye is a sign of a curse. Someone has placed a curse on you and you probably have symptoms: frequent yawning, you have headaches, you have sudden shivers or temperature fluctuations and the like. You should immediately talk to a person with blue eyes which eliminates evil so that such a person can remove the curse.
Knife is a warning sign and it is advising you to offer sacrificial animal (kurban) or give alms. This will help you to remove current or to protect yourself from recent adversity.
Rabbit is a symbol which points that you urgently need to saliti strahu (melting lead) and the best indicator is desperation and abrupt dreams – poor quality of sleep, insomnia.
The key is the sign of being blocked. When that sign is pronounced (large) in the cup then it reveals that everything you start will go with difficulties or you will find constant hurdles.
Spiders web reveals mental issues of a person or that she is currently located in a crisis of some sort.
Rock is a warning that a person (client) is suffering from depression, and even thought of suicide.
Arabic letter – when in the residue one spots one of the signs which unusually resemble an Arabic letter it is a sure sign that the client is under protection from a higher power, he is protected by angels or God himself.
You must turn the cup upside down because of curses
b In the end, Bosnian diviners recommend to turn the cup upside down as soon as the divination process is done since, allegedly, “it is not good” for someone to look at it from the side. – Someone can curse your cup and nothing will come to be, one of them reveals, Nisveta Č. from Velika Kladuša.