Get The Read of Your Life: Meet NY’s Most Coveted Coffee Cup Reader

Tapping into your future can be as simple as peeking into your leftover cup of joe, at least if you stop by New York’s most famous coffee fortune teller from Queens.

Sema Bal, a Turkish expat who moved to New York by way of Australia more than 20 years ago, made her first debut on television last year after being featured on the Bravo’s infamous “Real Housewives of New York.”

Since then, the gifted psychic has not only been visited by numerous clients from surrounding states, but has also been approached by major TV execs in hopes of launching a reality show.

“[Producers] approached me, but they wanted to include my kids,” Bal said. “But I don’t want to get my kids involved.”

While Bal uses her intuition to get a feel for your future, she refuses to identify herself as a psychic. The coffee fortune teller uses the energy you give off to interpret the meaning of the remainder of your coffee grinds.

“There is no religious component to it,” Bal said. “I use your energy to interpret the meaning of the coffee grinds.”

Turkish coffee differs from other varieties as the beans are ground extremely fine, leaving a muddy sediment that forms at the cup’s base. To brew the coffee, about two teaspoons of finely ground java is placed in a long-handed pot, known as the cezve.

The dark mixture is then poured into two espresso sized cups and is cooled, allowing for the grounds to settle at the bottom of the cup.

While waiting for the coffee to simmer down, Bal does a preliminary reading involving cards to connect with clients’ loved ones who passed away.

Carole Radziwill, a star of the RHONY show, was especially moved by Bal’s reading of her late husband and former American television journalist Anthony Radziwill. 

“That is the most specific information any psychic has ever said to me,” Radziwill, who referred to Bal as amazing, noted during a Bravo interview.

Bal has been reading coffee cups for nearly 30 years. It was only 12 years ago, however, that the fortune teller went public and decided to use her gift to help others.

She first learned of her intuitive powers as a child, when she started seeing what her mother initially thought to be imaginary friends. But as time passed, Bal’s mother realized her daughter had inherited the family’s gift.

“My mother thought in the beginning it was imaginary friends till I describe her people and talk about it,” Bal explained. “Then, she realized I was gifted like herself and others in my family.”

Bal, an author of two books, attributes her passion of reading coffee grinds to her mother, who was her inspiration behind her latest book The Secret of the Coffee Grinds. Her first book, Lilith’s Awakening, taps into the paranormal realm. 

While the humble wife and mother of three can foresee illness and divorce, those are among the few things she adamantly stays away from. Providing readings about children are also out of limits.

“I’ll read their cups, but if they have chronic diseases they need to go see the doctors,” she explained.

For those seeking a reading, Bal emphasizes people must remain open minded and come without any specific expectations. It’s recommended that clients even mediate an hour to two hours prior to a reading in order to completely relax their mind.

“When I’m doing readings some energies can be stronger than others,” Bal said. “Sometimes a client will come, if I found they have been talking or thinking about someone else, their energy will jump over.”

The “coffee psychic” has even launched her own workshop where everyday patrons can learn to read to coffee grinds. Bal holds a five hour-long workshop, focusing on techniques of reading Turkish coffee remains.

During the workshop, Bal not only reviews the history of Turkish coffee reading, but also holds a Tarot card roundtable followed by a one-on-one coffee cup reading.

Upcoming readings are expected to be held this November and May 2017.

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