A US-based spiritual expert, Latha Jay, shared with Hindustan Times that this New Moon is an opportunity to slow down rather than rush ahead. She shares that the most meaningful rituals do not have to be elaborate. "The most powerful rituals are often the simplest because they're rooted in intention rather than perfection," she says.
Jay recommends setting aside a few minutes for silence before beginning any ritual. She suggests journaling about emotional patterns you may be ready to leave behind and the qualities you would like to develop.
Instead of focusing only on external goals, she encourages people to set intentions around inner qualities such as peace, resilience, trust and self-compassion.
Meditation and breathwork are among the practices Jay recommends during this New Moon. She also suggests gentle forms of movement, including restorative yoga or yin yoga, which many people use to relax and reconnect with themselves.
According to Jay, the goal is not to do more but to create space for stillness and self-awareness.
She recommends decluttering your space, opening the windows, lighting a candle or diffusing calming essential oils. "Our external environment influences our internal environment".
This New Moon also takes place during Mercury retrograde, a period that many astrologers associate with reflection and review.
Instead of rushing into major new plans, Jay suggests revisiting unfinished projects, reconnecting with spiritual practices that may have fallen away and reflecting on lessons that continue to surface.
For those who follow lunar rituals, Jay says the July New Moon offers a reminder that meaningful change often begins within. Taking time to pause, reflect and care for your inner world may help you approach the months ahead with greater clarity and intention.
Soumi Pyne is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with four years of work experience. She started her career as a digital journalist with HT after completing her master's in media and communication from NSHM Kolkata. She covers topics in astrology, manifesting, and tarot readings, and also interviews astrologers to share their stories. In 2022, she interviewed the young indigo pilot who had saved Indian students from Ukraine. She has also covered stories about the Dhoomimal Art Gallery and a few lifestyle stories. She is now a fervent reader of astrology, but before working full-time on the Astrology beat, she coordinated and published think tank stories in the HT insight section. Additionally, produced Live Mint and HT newsletters, during which she had the scope to publish news articles by HT's editor-in-chief, Sukumar Ranganathan. She puts in her best effort to make her readers justify the statement "Astrology is a pseudoscience". While she believes that Astrology is not intertwined with Science, she aims to help her readers understand that the human body can be influenced by planetary alignments, drawing on insights from Indian and USA astrologers. Outside her professional sphere, she enjoys a healthy lifestyle through yoga, journaling, meditation, running, and cooking gluten-free meals. She is an avid documentary enthusiast who loves watching BBC, Discovery, and other channels, with a focus on ancient history, space, art, and culture. Also, you'll often find her taking her pooch to new cafes and often taking short trips with her girls or her family to offbeat places.Read More
