The book begins with Kelder's own discovery of the rites by way of Colonel Bradford, a mysterious retired British army officer who learned of them while journeying high up in the Himalayas. It then offers practical instructions for each of the five rites, which resemble yoga postures. Taking just minutes to perform, these exercises have benefited daily practitioners with various health improvements, such as increased energy, weight loss, better memory, new hair growth, pain relief, and just feeling younger.

Originally introduced to the rites in the 1930s, Kelder published his work in 1985 with Harbor Press in Gig Harbor, Washington. The response that has greeted this work throughout the world can only be described as phenomenal. With only word of mouth to fuel its momentum, "Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth" has gone on to sell over 700,000 copies in the United States -- most copies being sold via mail order -- with an additional one million copies sold overseas. This 1998 edition adds a foreword by bestselling author Bernie Siegel and restores the final "missing chapter".