Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

114 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

from your shoulder to the ground. As with the tunic,

fold the material in half from end to end, and then

again from side to side so you will have a quarter up.

Mark an armpit point (A) about a foot down from

the top fold, and far enough out from the centerfold

to fit comfortably over your chest. (This is important!

The main mistake people make on robes is failure to

allow adequate chest space.) Inhale and measure your

chest at its widest point, add 10% comfort room, and

divide by 4 to give the distance out from the centerline

to point (A). Then mark a line (A-B) from that point

to the bottom outside corner (B) and another line (A-

C) to the middle (C) of the outside edge. Then round

off these lines and the armpit angle (A), and add at

least an inch for the seam. If you are very large, the

amount cut away here can be reduced proportionately;

see lines 1-3 in diagram. Pin and cut out along the

lines, and sew up the cut edges (I like to also sew

halfway up the outside of the pointed “butterfly”

sleeves for pockets).

As with the tunic, the neck-hole is a simple “T”

cut along the top fold, with the vertical cut in front.

The horizontal cut should total 8” across, but the ver-

tical cut is up to you (how much of your chest do you

want to expose?). You might make it short at first, as

you can always cut it deeper after you try it on; but

you can’t make it shorter again!

The hood is made out of two of the leftover pieces

cut out earlier. These are then cut square across the

bottom at 9”. The back can be rounded, as I show

here, or pointed if you cut along line 4 (a very popu-

lar design). The crucial dimension is that the neck of

the hood must match the horizontal cut of the neck-

hole in the robe, to which it will be attached; so each

piece must be 9” across the bottom.

After you sew the hood and robe together, fold

back and hem all your edges (put it on, belt with a

cord, and have someone pin up the bottom to ankle

length). Arms outspread, the completed robe with

hood will form an “Ankh.” Trim may be attached at

the ends of the sleeves, around the front of the hood,

or around the bottom of the robe; and leftover materi-

als may be used to add outside panels, pockets, etc.

Lesson 4: Your Cingulum

The cingulum (SING-gu-lum) is a special braided cord

you tie around your waist, over your robe. A cingu-

lum is always handmade by the one who will be wear-

ing it. Like your athamé and wand, no one should

ever use your cingulum except you. There are three

traditional lengths: 9’ for cord magick; 6’ to be used

in marking out the radius of a Magick Circle; or your

exact height, which is called your measure.

The color of your cingulum is keyed to the color

of your grade, exactly like belts in karate. Different

traditions assign different colors to these cords. In my

tradition of Wizardry, these colors are: green for Ap-

prentices; red for Journeymen; and blue and purple

for Adepts. It is, however, traditional to weave in one

gold cord among the colors as a reminder of the

Magick we all share, no matter what our grade.

To make your Apprentice’s cingulum, go to your

fabric store and purchase standard 3/8” twist cord. It

comes on a roll, and you will need to buy 21’ in green

and gold. If you like, you can get three 7’ lengths with

different shades of green. On an evening when the

Moon is waxing, purify these cords at your altar by

sprinkling them with water and salt; then pass them

over the candle flame and incense smoke. Chant the

following spell as you do so:

Water and Earth, where you are cast

No ill or adverse purpose last.

Fire and Air, I conjure thee

To purify and blessed be!

Knot the three ends together as one

with an overhand knot, leaving about

6” loose ends to be unraveled. Then start braid-

ing them, binding in the magick moonlight with

each twist, and chanting the following:

Made to measure, wrought to bind

Blessed be thou cord entwined!

As you braid, concentrate on putting your personal

energies into it so it becomes part of you. When you

have finished, tie another overhand knot to prevent the

ends from unraveling. Now, starting from the first knot,

tie a knot at 3 1/2’, another at 4’, another at 4 1/2’,

another at 5’, and a final one at 5 1/2’. Leave another

6” loose ends to be unraveled, and cut off the rest.

You will now be able to use your cingulum as a com-

pass cord with which to make different-size Magick

Circles for different rites and numbers of people.

Whenever you are doing Magick, or in a Magick

Circle, you should wear your cingulum bound about

the waist of your robe, under your tabard. But a cin-

gulum is not worn with a tunic or jerkin!

Lesson 5: Your Wizard’s Belt

Your cingulum, however, is not meant to hang things

from, nor is it to be worn in public. For that you will

need a belt. You can, of course, just use your regular

belt, which many people do. But you might want to

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