New Moon in Gemini: Mary and Martha, Women Who Contain Multitudes

Gemini is an air sign, known for its playful pursuit of gaining knowledge, creating connection, and paving new pathways. Gemini is represented by the image of twins and likes to see all sides of the situation. Air signs are characterized by their intellectual, communicative, and social nature. This reflects the light and dynamic essence of their elemental influence. Overall, these signs tend to excel in the realms of ideas, relationships, and innovation, bringing a breath of fresh air to their interactions and thought processes. Gemini is also a Mutable sign, falling at the end of spring. Their energy anticipates movement and change, and they tend to be more flexible and adaptable to the changing world around them.

The story of Mary and Martha, as depicted in Luke 10:38-42, offers a glimpse into the both/and nature of Gemini. Mary's contemplative nature and Martha's practicality highlight the balance between intellect and action, a characteristic trait of Gemini. But common interpretations push us into a duality, rather than allowing us to hold the tension of the many roles women inhabit.

In the short story, Jesus is at the home of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha is fretting, distracted by some details (not, as is often remembered, in the kitchen–we'll come back to this later). Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet, hearing his teaching. Martha appeals to Jesus to tell Mary to come and help her, and Jesus famously says, "Mary has chosen the better part."

This story has often been interpreted as a net positive for women, as Jesus seems to be freeing them from the role of "staying in the kitchen," and providing space for women to pursue intellectual and spiritual formation. As a theologian myself, I have been happy to have this story where Jesus affirms this calling for women.

On deeper inspection of the text, however, something else is happening. Nowhere in the text does it explicitly say that Martha is preparing a meal. Some translations read: "Martha was distracted by much serving."

The truth is, both Mary and Martha were disciples. Martha was likely one of the wealthy women who supported Jesus' ministry. Against the norms of the day, Martha was a female head of her own home, and because of her wealth, she likely would have had servants to perform domestic labor.

The original Greek word here is diakonia—often translated as “serving,” but more accurately understood as “ministry.” It’s the same root word used for “deacon,” someone who held leadership in the early church. And even if Martha was preparing and serving a meal, according to the Wisdom Commentary on Luke, "Attending at table in early Christian circles is often a form of religious leadership rather than a servile task... Jesus engaged in diakonia in the last supper with his disciples."

There are many interesting things to notice in this text. Mary is passive, not speaking at all. Jesus repeats Martha's name twice, a rarity in scripture that indicates emotional closeness.

When thinking about our common interpretations of this text, I resent the fact that, once again, women are pitted against each other. How many times have you heard a sermon telling you to be a Mary in a Martha world? We’re told we must choose: Be the reflective one or the responsible one. The mystic or the manager. But isn’t that the very tension most of us live in every day, holding sacred space while holding everything else together?

Feminism is meant to celebrate every woman's right to choose how she spends her time and what roles she pursues. Yet women are constantly confronted with dualism. This Gemini season, what would it look like to stop choosing sides within yourself? What if Mary and Martha aren’t a binary, but a blueprint for wholeness? Women contain multitudes; it's time that we stop judging ourselves for that.

In terms of personality traits, each sign exhibits positives and negatives. It’s important to be aware of both, and to notice what you want to emphasize and what energy you can focus on in this season.

High Side of Gemini: Curious, witty, adaptable, expressive, quick-thinking, playful, engaging, good communicator, connector of ideas, mentally agile.

Low Side of Gemini: Scattered, superficial, anxious, inconsistent, avoidant, emotionally detached, overstimulated, unreliable, overthinking.

SUGGESTED MEDITATION FOR NEW MOON IN GEMINI: Harvesting Wisdom from Doubt

Click to read more about the meditation and access the guide sheet.