Tea Oracle

 Recently, I’ve been searching for an Oracle deck that resonates with me, but I haven't found anything suitable. Then it occurred to me that, since tea is my passion, why not create a tea-themed deck? I did a lot of research but still felt unsatisfied. Most existing decks tend to fall into two categories:

1. Decks that borrow from tasseomancy (tea leaf reading) symbology. While interesting, tasseomancy isn’t my preferred approach.

2. Decks where the artwork references tea superficially, but the messages don’t relate to tea at all.

What I really want is a deck that incorporates tea in both the artwork and the symbolism. To achieve this, I’m working on compiling visual elements related to tea, as well as existing lore or symbols associated with it.

For instance, I’ve considered using Tieguanyin oolong. Tieguanyin, or Iron Goddess of Mercy, is a variety of oolong tea that carries some folklore. The story goes that a poor farmer discovered a derelict temple dedicated to Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy. He decided to clean the temple, particularly focusing on an iron statue. After many years of care, the goddess rewarded him with a tea plant. As the plant flourished, he was able to produce a popular tea. He then generously shared the cuttings with his neighbors, benefiting the entire region through the cultivation and production of Tieguanyin.

This is a lovely story (and a delicious tea) that offers many messages and symbols. I’ve been working to list different teas with folklore or cultural associations, as well as various tea-serving practices and their meanings in their respective cultures.

So far, I’ve identified around 30 concepts and their associated stories and meanings. My main goal is to create this Oracle deck for my personal use, but I’m also considering the possibility of looking for a publisher to share it more widely.