Animal
Caterpillar Tea Leaf Symbol Meaning
You are likely to be criticized unkindly by those who are envious of you, although you have no suspicion that people are anything but friendly in their feeling towards you; there is slyness and deception, and it would be well to be on one's guard or you...
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Caterpillar reading examples
How to read Caterpillar in tea leaves
Caterpillar in a tea leaf reading points to You are likely to be criticized unkindly by those who are envious of you, although you have no suspicion that people are anything but friendly in their feeling towards you; there is slyness and deception, and it would be well to be on one's guard or you.... Read it as a tea-leaf sign first: the shape, cup position, and nearby clusters matter as much as the dictionary meaning.
In tea-leaf reading, caterpillar is not read as a perfect picture. It is read as a cluster of damp leaves, stems, dots, and empty porcelain that briefly resembles the sign. The stronger the resemblance and the clearer its position, the more weight the symbol carries.
This entry is based on paraphrased notes from Cicely Kent's tea-leaf symbol book, rewritten for the Tasseography.org tea archive.
Cup position
How placement changes the reading
Rim
Near the rim, caterpillar describes something close to the present: news, movement, or a matter already visible to the querent.
Middle
In the middle of the cup, caterpillar points to the developing stage of the question and the choices that shape the coming weeks.
Base
At the base, caterpillar is slower and more rooted. It may show a hidden cause, a delayed result, or an emotional foundation.
Handle
Near the handle, caterpillar is personal to the querent, their home circle, or a decision only they can make.