The Art of Attention A 6-Week Mindfulness Practicum with Mitra Manesh

What if your attention is the most valuable resource you have—the key to your health and happiness—and you could learn to direct it with skill, clarity, and ease?

Led by Mitra Manesh, author of the forthcoming book The Attentionist, this practicum will help you train your attention as a choice engine and equip you with practical tools to shift from survival mode (reactive, scarce, fear-driven) to choice mode (aware, intentional, creative). Each session blends guided practice, teaching, shared insights, real-world applications, coaching, and Q&A—so you can carry mindfulness off the cushion and into the flow of daily life.

Across six weeks, we will explore the art of attention, practices for focus and stability, skillful ways to meet emotions, and mindful approaches to living in the modern world. You’ll complete the course with a personalized plan you can actually follow. On December 7, we’ll gather once more for a special community check-in to share progress, troubleshoot challenges, and anchor your practice as you move into the holiday season. Come as you are, and leave with a toolkit to live more intentionally, attentively, and creatively.

This course is designed for participants with some prior mindfulness knowledge and practice who are ready to deepen their skills and lead a more mindful life.

• Course Outline

  • Week 1- Oct 19 – The Art of Attention: What it is and why it matters now. Recognize your patterns and choose differently

  • Week 2- Oct 26 –  Training Focus: Build stability in a noisy world

  • Week 3- Nov 2 – Emotions & Attention: From hijack to wise response

  • Week 4- Nov 9 – Attention in Action: The material world & mindful living

  • Week 5- Nov 16 – Integration: Create a personal plan you can actually follow

  • Week 6- Dec 7 – Check-in & Follow-up

• Dates & Time:

  • Sundays, October 19 – November 16, 2025, 1-2:30 pm, PT

  • Check-In & Follow-Up Session: December 7, 2025,  1-2:30 pm, PT

• Registration Rates*:

  • Regular Rate: $200

  • UCLA Health Staff Rate**: $160