Charts, lines, visions—what do they predict? Can we use them to look into the future, shape it as we will or are we merely acting out a script written by somebody else? Enter the world of myriad predictive sciences

Leaves in a cup

The art of reading tea-leaves is probably the simplest means of divination. There is a specific ritual to be followed. Use a cup with a wide mouth with white inside devoid of any pattern. It's best to use china leaf tea. The inquirer drinks from the cup till about one teaspoon of the liquid is left. In the left hand, move the cup three times clockwise and anti-clockwise, concentrating on the question. With the right hand, invert the cup on a saucer and drain the liquid. Now look at the tea-leaves in the cup. At first, it appears to be a dismal scene. But observing closely, you can glean pictures and symbols. The handle of the cup represents the inquirer. The position of the symbols represent timing of events. If they appear near the rim of the cup, the events are at hand, while those portrayed on the sides stand for delay, and those at the bottom pertain to remoteness. See the size also—a large one indicates large legacy and small one, small legacy. But limit your questions to once or twice a week.

Angel: Good news
Anchor: Good luck
Bell: At the top, a betterment in position. At the bottom, sad news. Two bells denote great happiness
Candle: Philanthropy, helpfulness
Demon: Evil influences
Earth: Material things over spiritual matters
Flower: Request granted
Moon: Full moon-love affair; crescent-new projects
Human Figures: If they seem benevolent, then they're good.