The Triple Burner

The Triple Burner, arguably the most mysterious organ system in Chinese Medicine, is finally getting a comprehensive analysis from a master, Dr. Leon Hammer. In this text Dr. Hammer brings together decades of experience and insights from both himself as well as other authors and practitioners, drawing on his extraordinary career as a clinical psychotherapist and Chinese medicine doctor. He elucidates the role of the Triple Burner at every level, from harmonizing the integration of Heaven and Earth, to connecting the Heart and Kidney, to balancing and integrating various functions throughout the body. After reading The Triple Burner you will find yourself perceiving this glorious organ system in ways you could never have imagined before.

Dr. Leon I. Hammer, M.D. has had a remarkable life and career. Born in 1924 in New York City, he served in the United States military during and after World War Two as a Navigator, Aerial Gunner, Captain and Physician. He attended Cornell University and Cornell Medical College, and went on to study at the William A. White Institute of Psychoanalysis and Psychiatry. Until 1971, he practiced psychiatry and psychoanalysis, directed a child guidance clinic and Drug Abuse Councils on the Southeast Shore of Long Island, taught at Adelphi University, and was Psychiatric Consultant and Associate Professor at Southampton College in Southampton, New York. After working with Fritz Perls and Gestalt therapy for three years, and with Alexander Lowen and Bioenergetics over a period of eight years, he began a study of Chinese medicine in 1971.
For the next three years, he studied in England with Dr. J.D. van Buren. In 1974, he began a twenty-seven year-long apprenticeship with Dr. John H.F. Shen, a Chinese Master in New York City. During this time, Dr. Hammer spent four months studying in Beijing, China. His time with Dr. Shen had a huge influence on his work, eventually leading him to develop what has become Contemporary Oriental Medicine. In 1975, Dr. Hammer achieved certification to practice acupuncture in New York State, and later also became a registered acupuncturist in Maryland, where he studied and taught at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute. In 1985 he was granted honorary 'Diplomate in Acupuncture' status by the NCCA. Dr. Hammer has practiced Chinese medicine since 1973, and has lectured and all over the world. He served as a member of the Commission for Evaluation of Acupuncture Schools, and was appointed a member of the National Blue Ribbon Committee for Initiation of the Herbal Examination. From 1991 through 1998, he was a member of the New York State Board of Acupuncture. In 2001, Dr. Hammer received an award as "Educator of the Year" for participation and contribution to excellence in education from the American Association of Oriental Medicine. In 2002, he received an award from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Foundation for "Building Bridges of Integration" between Oriental and Western medicines.
In April 2001, Dr. Hammer helped found Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, and served as Chairman of the Board and as a faculty member. The school is distinguished not only by its strong focus on diagnosis, especially Contemporary Chinese pulse, but also by its Contemporary Oriental Medicine curriculum. The College is accredited by the National Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and licensed by the state of Florida to grant Master's degrees in acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Dr. Hammer was first published on the subject of Chinese medicine in the American Journal of Acupuncture in 1980, and subsequently has written numerous articles on a range of subjects within the medical field. His first book, Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies (Eastland Press, 1990) was also translated and published in Germany and Spain, has become a classic in the field. His second book, Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, A Contemporary Approach (Eastland Press, 2001), has been described as a seminal work. In 2008 his third book was published: The Patient-Practitioner Relationship in Acupuncture (Thieme). He has written a compendium of the herbal formulae of Dr. John H.F. Shen (Thieme, 2012, with Hamilton Rotte), and in 2012 Eastland Press published Dr. Hammer's The Handbook of Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis. He has a great love of nature and ecology, and a passion for ensuring that all creatures are treated with equal respect and compassion. Dr. Hammer greatly enjoys sailing, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and tennis, although sometimes he is happiest just sitting and watching the birds, trees and mountains from his window. He is married with children and grandchildren, and currently lives in Florida. Dr. Kye Peven, ND, DSOM, has always been interested in understanding how things work, and found he had an aptitude for thinking scientifically. He earned a B.S. from UC Berkeley in Materials Science and Engineering, with minors in Nuclear Engineering and Energy Management, believing that applying his interest in technology would help make the world a better place. During this time he began to practice Vipassana meditation, and realized that health was more important to happiness and wellbeing than technological advancements and material creations. His initial interest in health was sparked by the desire to understand his own body at a deeper level, which began even as he was working to earn his bachelor degree. He never found conventional medicine to be able to satisfy this curiosity, as with its focus on disease and pathology it had little to offer in the way of insights into the human condition or constitution. He wanted a form of medicine that could tell him how his entire being fit together, that would link the body, emotions, and thoughts into a coherent whole.

Dr. Kye began looking for a system that was person-centered, revolved around natural therapies, was truly health focused, and integrated all levels of the human experience. Having grown up in a family where Chinese herbs were the default for colds and flus he was already familiar with the basic tenets of Chinese Medicine. He came upon the field of Naturopathic Medicine and knew instantly that it was the link between tradition and science he had been looking for. The result was a 6-year program at the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) and two degrees: Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) and Doctor of Science in Oriental Medicine (DSOM). During the program he also became a licensed massage therapist and practiced massage and bodywork professionally for several years while he was completing his degrees.

Dr. Kye currently practices with Whole Systems Healthcare in Seattle, Washington. In his medical practice, Dr. Kye focuses on treating the entire person and not simply managing symptoms, with a special emphasis on insomnia, pain, inflammation, and trauma. He has confidence in the healing power of nature and believes people have an innate ability to move towards health. He sees his role as helping to guide people along this journey, and to this end he primarily uses gentle, minimally invasive techniques to stimulate the body's self-healing potential. Utilizing diet, lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, and more, Dr. Kye is committed to serving his patients in the creation of long-lasting wellbeing.