Topanga, CA
Gathering of Forces
A men’s Immersion in Topanga Canyon where vitality is restored, meaning is authored, and something original is awakened.
October 2-4, 2026
The Experience
Gathering of Forces brings together breathwork, martial practice, shadow work, group council, ceremony, and stillness in one immersive weekend. You’ll be guided to shepherd your original self — to experience your own solid ground, cultivating a fundamental shift that ripples out into your whole life.
For the man who…
- May have accomplished to great heights, but feels the pull toward something deeper.
- Has tried the productivity hacks, the apps, the therapy — and knows there is a layer beneath all of it he hasn’t reached yet.
- Is tired of showing up to his life on autopilot, present in body but not present IN his body.
- Wants to meet himself in his full range of capacity — without performing or striving — in the company of men who are willing to go somewhere real.
What we’ll train:
- Breathwork and embodiment practices to explore and direct your full life force.
- Martial training to sharpen presence, timing, and physical awareness.
- Shadow work and group process — meeting the parts of yourself you’ve been managing around.
- Council and reflection with men who aren’t here to bullshit each other.
- Ceremony, awareness, and stillness — practices that ground you at the center of any storm.
- The kind of celebration and brotherhood that only happens when men go somewhere real together.
“I would like to take a moment to thank you again for the Gathering of Forces workshop this past weekend. I would describe it as a two-day, four-week retreat because of how much we did in our short time together. I feel transformed due to several breakthrough experiences. Your stillness, your humble power and precision was truly awesome to witness. Thank you for sharing your gifts.”
—
Bryan Blakely
“Eli’s presence and teachings are the missing link for men today. Through my work with him, I’ve found a deeper sense of understanding myself,how I relate to world, and how I carry myself in it.”
—
Kenneth Borg, Executive Coach, CA
“I have gotten immense value out of the GOF weekend. My biggest takeaways have been the ones you returned to often. Bow in to life. Follow your breath. Feel the air on your skin. How is the quality of your presence? Simple and yet there is a lifetime’s worth of practice and refinement in those few words. These learnings are like anchors. Anchors that were dropped by me, but only possible through your guidance. Thank you for creating a space for those learnings to take place and take hold.”
—
Will
Your Guides
Eli Buren
Eli Buren
Eli Buren is a teacher, facilitator, and father who helps people find their inner ground so they can meet their lives with deep presence and power. Over more than twenty years of retreats, intensives, and mentorship containers, he has worked with thousands of men across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
His teachings draw from qi gong, awareness practice, sacred ceremony, martial arts, and somatic work to create the conditions for direct transformation through lived experience.
James Mattingley
James Mattingley is a facilitator, husband, and father whose work helps men release performance and mental noise and reconnect with their body, breath, and awareness.
With more than fifteen years of facilitation experience and years of training alongside Eli, James brings a rare combination of grounded leadership, attentiveness, and embodied presence to every retreat.
James Mattingley
Gathering Details
October 2–4, 2026
Friday 3:30pm — Sunday 5:00pm
Located at Commune in Topanga, CA
The Investment
Questions? Email hello@attunedeventsco.com.
