Edmond Bordeaux Szekely, the proponent of a modern spiritual pathway he ascribed to the ancient Essenes, was born in Hungary in 1905.

In the secret archives of the Vatican in 1923, Szekely discovered a lost gospel written in Aramaic. During his research, he also discovered a Hebrew fragment of the text in Monte Cassino and a copy of the manuscript written in Old Slavonic in Vienna.

In 1928 Szekely published his translation of the texts he discovered as the ‘Essene Gospel of Peace‘ and together with his friend, the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Romain Rolland, founded the International Biogenic Society to share the teachings with others. Szekely also founded several communes in France which attempted to embody the teachings but as Hitler rose to power, Szekely then moved to Tecate, Mexico and opened the Essene School and health spa called Rancho la Puerta.

He began to systematically teach his principles for healthy living, which he termed biogenics (life generating). Keys to the system were vegetarianism and the use of whole fresh foods. Rancho la Puerta became famous as a health spa, attracting many wealthy and famous people.

In 1958 Szekely opened the Golden Door, a health spa in Escondido, California, that became one of the most famous of the era and especially favored by Hollywood stars.

In 1970, Szekely and his wife divorced and he retired from Rancho La Puerta to live in the Orosi Valley, near San Jose, Costa Rica. Szekely married Norma Nilsson, his long-time assistant and together they ran the International Biogenic Society, teaching the Essene Way of Biogenic Living program. Szekely continued writing many books during this time until his death in 1979.