The Orphan
The Orphan - As represented by the determined and resilient Sea Turtle
If you took the path toward the campfire, seeking the belonging you crave, congratulations—you are what’s known as the Orphan. Represented by the determined and resilient sea turtle, you are driven by a deep need for connection, gifted with the strength to endure hardship in your search for it. But in your journey to find belonging, do not deny others that same gift.
One of the Orphan’s greatest strengths is resilience—the ability to survive and adapt through immense hardship. Yet, this very resilience can sometimes lead to the belief that suffering is deserved, that struggle is a consequence of one’s own shortcomings. But remember—some of the greatest stories ever told in the Hero’s Journey begin with an Orphan. From nothing, they rise to face the world’s challenges, freeing both themselves and others from hardship.
The Orphan’s greatest challenge is balancing the desire for something new with the acceptance of where they are. True acceptance is essential for transformation—from victim to hero, from lost to found. Like all inwardly focused archetypes, the Orphan must often look outward for balance. As you seek meaning, do not lose sight of the small joys that make life worth living.
More than any other archetype, the Orphan’s journey has been romanticized. They are the world’s true underdogs—the nobodies who rise, inspiring generations to enact change. They are the small hands that turn the great wheels of history, not because they can, but because they must.
But the path of the Orphan is a vulnerable one. Their greatest desire—acceptance—can be found in many places, yet true belonging is as elusive as smoke. The harder one grasps for it, the more it slips away. The Orphan who finds balance realizes that belonging must first be granted to oneself before it can be found in others.
Each archetype must find balance, but for the Orphan, the risk of imbalance is particularly great. Their longing for what was once denied can lead them to be either overly cautious or too trusting. Recall how you became the Orphan—choosing the path of belonging in the ritual. This deep longing often stems from a lack of safety in childhood. Left unchecked, it can set the Orphan up for heartbreak, as they seek acceptance from those unable to give it.
This is why the Orphan must learn to provide that security for themselves. The pain of rejection will still sting, but the balanced Orphan understands that it is a privilege to share time with another, even if only for a while. Gratitude softens loss—every connection, however fleeting, leaves something behind.
Above all, Orphans must not sacrifice themselves to please others. In chasing acceptance, it is easy to lose one’s identity. But true belonging is found not in erasing oneself for others but in embracing who you are. When you extend to yourself the same acceptance you seek from the world, you honor the universe that created you. Stay true, Orphans. Beware the roads you walk—do not follow a path that was never truly yours. You hold the power to shake empires within you—do not trade your heart for the mere promise of belonging.
REMEMBER—The great Orphans of the world often find what they seek when they first give it freely to themselves and others. In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey, an Orphan, searches for guidance and acceptance from Luke Skywalker—once an Orphan himself, now a Magician. In helping Rey find belonging within herself, Luke rediscovers it within his own heart, giving him the strength to do what must be done for the good of others. Do not fear that you will never find your place. The Orphan’s journey may take them down strange roads, but no one can truly belong on a path they did not choose for themselves.
Other Notable Orphans in Fiction: Rey (Star Wars), Simba (The Lion King), Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Mariana (Mariana the Moon Girl), John Locke (Lost).
To continue to the second part of the ritual . . .