Abrac
The Waite-Trinick "Fool" seems to confirm that Waite saw the Fool as the Christ Spirit. In the picture notice the five wounds of Christ, the dark spots on the hands and feet and one in the chest area which I've circled; his posture is symbolic of Christ on the cross.
Waite-Trinick Fool
The Waite-Smith Fool also has a clue in the Hebrew letter Shin superimposed on one of the wheels of his garment.
Waite-Smith Fool
The addition of Shin to YHVH yields YHShVH, or YEHESHUAH, the Christ manifested. It's interesting where Waite says, in his description of the Fool in the Pictorial Key, "He is a prince of the other world on his travels through this one . . ." This can be interpreted as the Divine in the universe as the Divine in man, or the "Divine Immanent." This idea of the Divine in Universe being the same as the Divine in man is the foundation really of Waite's ideas about mysticism. The reunion of the two is the ultimate goal and end for the mystic.
It's also interesting that Waite refers to the Fool as spirit, "He is the spirit in search of experience." Typically Waite refers to the soul as female and spirit as male. In this example from The Way of Divine Union (1915), spirit is identified as Christ, "Regarded as understanding and consciousness, the soul has, however, a female aspect. It is true therefore to say that the spirit of man is the Spouse, for the Spirit of the soul is Christ, though this Spirit has been called by other names."
Waite-Trinick Fool
The Waite-Smith Fool also has a clue in the Hebrew letter Shin superimposed on one of the wheels of his garment.
Waite-Smith Fool
The addition of Shin to YHVH yields YHShVH, or YEHESHUAH, the Christ manifested. It's interesting where Waite says, in his description of the Fool in the Pictorial Key, "He is a prince of the other world on his travels through this one . . ." This can be interpreted as the Divine in the universe as the Divine in man, or the "Divine Immanent." This idea of the Divine in Universe being the same as the Divine in man is the foundation really of Waite's ideas about mysticism. The reunion of the two is the ultimate goal and end for the mystic.
It's also interesting that Waite refers to the Fool as spirit, "He is the spirit in search of experience." Typically Waite refers to the soul as female and spirit as male. In this example from The Way of Divine Union (1915), spirit is identified as Christ, "Regarded as understanding and consciousness, the soul has, however, a female aspect. It is true therefore to say that the spirit of man is the Spouse, for the Spirit of the soul is Christ, though this Spirit has been called by other names."