The cup as a mirror: Reading our own stories

This World Storytelling Day, I’m celebrating the ancient art of staring into a teacup and pretending to see meaning. Reading tea leaves, much like writing, is really just storytelling with better crockery. Here’s why those soggy little symbols might say more about us than the future.

Victoria Hall, Tasseography. 2025, graphite and coloured pencils on fine art paper, 13 x 13.5 cm.

They say the future is written in the leaves. But, let’s be honest, it’s probably just us projecting our own nonsense onto a soggy mess at the bottom of the cup.

Artist‘a tools en plein air

Still, there’s something rather wonderful about it. Tasseography, the art of reading tea leaves, is basically creative writing in miniature: The plot twists are in the clumps, and the character arcs depend entirely on how much caffeine you’ve had.

Victoria Hall, Tasseography. Close up of puppy.

Every cup tells a story, but not the sort you’ll find in the classics section. You swirl, you squint, and suddenly that damp blob becomes a bird (freedom!) or a key (opportunity!).

Victoria Hall, Tasseography. Close up of girl’s face.

The truth is, reading tea leaves is less about fortune-telling and more about daydreaming out loud. It’s a mirror for the subconscious, the same way storytelling is. Both are about pattern-finding, emotional sleuthing, and a healthy dose of self-delusion.

So, this World Storytelling Day, why not pour yourself a cup and peer inside. Forget what it’s “meant” to say. What do you see? The story might be lurking in the dregs, or it might already be written in your head, waiting for you to notice it. Either way, it’s yours.

Because at the end of the day, every writer, dreamer, and tea-drinker is just trying to make sense of their own leaves — one cup, one story, one small, soggy revelation at a time.

Happy World Storytelling Day!

x Victoria

About Victoria Hall

Victoria Hall is an English-born, Australian-based storyteller and tea drinker. She is the creator of three picture books for children, Penny Prickles at Coogee Beach, Eggy Peggy Has Lost Her Leggy and The Fairy Beasts. For more creative updates, follow Victoria on Instagram or check out her bio here.