Maria’s Story and How She Funded Her Studies to Become a Flower Essence Practitioner

Today I am sharing an inspiring story from Maria Gerathy, a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® practitioner and tutor in Sydney, Australia, who is a mother of 4 and has been using flower essences with her family and with her clients for over 25 years.  

People come to First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® for different reasons...

Some are looking for natural cost-effective solutions to help themselves and family members to effectively cope with the stresses of life.

Others want to feel empowered and in charge of their own holistic healing journey. They also want  to have the tools they need to powerfully help others, whether it is alongside other healing modalities or starting out as a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® practitioner.

With an extensive background in preventative healthcare and herbal medicine, Maria came across First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® while working with Bach Flower Remedies and as she says she ‘was hooked’.

Maria set a goal of achieving her Certificate and Diploma in New Zealand Native Flower Essence Therapy professional qualifications with First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®, but she did not quite have the money to do it.

In her story below Maria shares how she discovered and ‘got hooked’ on First Light  Flower Essences of New Zealand®, how she was able to fund her studies and begin her richly rewarding and exciting career as First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® practitioner and tutor and what her ‘go to’ essences are for supporting other women and her clients.

In Maria's Own Words...

How I Discovered Flower Essence Therapy… an Incredible, Natural and Easy to Use Modality

Over 25 years ago, when I was taking Diploma in Medical Herbalism, one of the modules introduced me to flower essence therapy.

I immediately recognised flower essence therapy as a way to address on a deeper vibrational level what is often the underlying cause of physical symptoms.

I understood that flower essences were vibrational medicines that could help address imbalances in the intangible or metaphysical areas of our being – including emotional and spiritual, and that if left unaddressed could lead to dis-ease.

In my natural therapy studies, I was already learning that for true holistic healing to take place, we had to address the energetic cause of the issue.

And here was an incredible, natural, safe and easy to use modality - flower essences - that could do that!

Working with Bach Flower Remedies

I went on to work with Dr. Bach’s Flower Remedies for my family of four children and friends for many years, and I was amazed at the results. 

For example, my infant son had an extreme fear of insects and animals. His first word was ‘up’ because he wanted to be picked up, and be away from something he was afraid of.

After an appropriate Bach Flower Remedy for fear he went from running away from the ducks at the park to chasing them for fun. It was such an obvious shift. He went on to have a very intuitive, tender relationship with our pets at home.

My First Introduction to First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® - Opened My Mind

I first met the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® at my children’s school fair in Christchurch - for two years running I didn’t give these essences much consideration as I was firmly and loyally a Bach Flower Remedies user and advocate.

After all, Dr Bach developed the modern modality of flower essences - why would I try another range?!

One year I was invited by the practitioner who was holding the stall to read the book The Sacred Plant Medicine of Aotearoa Vol 1, written by Franchelle Ofsoské-Wyber, and everything changed - I opened my mind. 

I realised the need for a different quality of flower essence to meet the needs of people today, and I came to the understanding that certain New Zealand native flowers, trees, seeds and plants carry the vibrational holistic healing signature to assist humanity with these needs and to meet the complex challenges we all face.

After the First Light® Flowers of Transformation Workshop I Was Hooked

I enrolled in the First Light® Flowers of Transformation workshop, intending only to do the modules that were similar in application to Dr. Bach’s Remedies.

But at the end of the workshop I was hooked. 

I bought the First Light® Flowers of Transformation Set and began to make First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® blends for myself, my family and clients immediately.

How I Was Able to Fund My Studies and Fully Stock My Flower Essence Dispensary

I went on to study all First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® courses.

I was able to fund my studies and purchase all the sets of essences with the money I was making by selling First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® blends while I was studying each course.

I was able to complete all First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® courses and achieve my Certificate (Cert.NZNFE) and Diploma (Dip.NZNFE) in New Zealand Native Flower Essence Therapy.

First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® Helped Me Move from Fear to Being More Confident and Grounded in Who I am 

My journey to gain my Certificate and Diploma, and become a registered practitioner, and then go on to become a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® tutor has been a personal one. 

As I have taken the essences myself I have become more confident and grounded in who I am; a sense of being more centred with an inner strength was apparent from my very first blend. 

I became more aware of my gifts that I have to offer others and my life has become simpler, more joyful and harmonious. 

I was a very sensitive person who hesitated to express myself for fear of judgement.  I now understand myself better and live firmly within my positive, best self.   

I see that my work with First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® has been a natural unfolding and a vehicle for how I meet the world and how I continue to grow and evolve as a person.

Using First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® to Help Women Who Are Feeling Overloaded

My business as a holistic wellbeing practitioner combines the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®, transpersonal coaching and Hypnotique Protocol Esoteric Hypnotherapy®. 

The First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® being the vibrational support to assist people with greater levels of holistic healing, growth and goal achievement.

My practitioner work has changed over the years along with me. Initially, I was helping mums and their children, often meeting in the school playground to discuss a blend for their child to assist with social struggles like bullying or not having friends, learning challenges at school, hesitancy to leave mum etc.

Now I help women in their middle years dealing with challenges such as feeling overloaded, looking after aging parents and teenagers, experiencing grief, relationship challenges and separation, trying to return to the workforce, bring balance back into their lives.

A Flower Essence Blend That Helped My Client to Feel a Return of Joy and Playfulness

Recently a beautiful mum came to me as she was experiencing some sadness and feelings of loss for how her tight-knit family of four used to be. Her boys, now in their late teens were not always wanting to come on holidays and to family events. 

I made her a personalised First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® blend to support her with this changing dynamic in her family, and she felt much better.

I made her another flower essence blend to help her with the sense of being bogged down and things not flowing for her. She told me she wanted to feel a sense of joy and playfulness again.

She recently reported back:

“I have loved my First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® blend and indeed have felt a return of joy and playfulness in everyday tasks. I am feeling more in flow and able to simply follow the direction of opportunities as they present themselves”.

My Go-To Essences for Helping People with Trauma and the Relentless Challenges of High-Paced Life

I am finding that people are dealing with relentless challenges. The pace of life today weighs people down and leads to feeling worn out. 

My go to essences are the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® fern essences No's 37-43. They support the clearing of energetic impacts of trauma, painful and negative experiences that get stuck in the aura and prevent life force or chi from flowing freely.

I find that giving the fern essences to my clients enables them to start their holistic healing journey.

The fern essences ‘lighten’ people up. The begin to feel more free and capable, to face and engage with life fully.

Why I Love Working as a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® Practitioner

Being able to assist clients with their unique situations is one of the inspiring reasons why I love doing the work of a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® practitioner. 

With First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®, there is no end to the options I can offer to my clients to support them with whatever they are going through. 

I also value the variety of work I am able to have. With the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® dispensary always on hand,

• I have worked from home
• I have worked in nature
• I do house calls
• I do zoom calls
• I have been at markets and events

As a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® registered practitioner I am also  able to take part in global initiates, such as being part of World Flower Therapy Day and the Crisis Support© initiative at the beginning of the covid pandemic, that was organised, and run by First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®.

Empowering Others on Their Holistic Healing Journey as a First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® Tutor

Now as a qualified tutor I am facilitating First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® workshops here in Sydney, Australia.

I love that this enables me to be a vehicle for the incredible information available to those looking to learn more about themselves, and to empower themselves on their own holistic healing journey and holistic health care. 

The First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® and path of study have given me a blueprint for how my life can be, by working with the nature power and wisdom of New Zealand native plants.

Now I am excited to be passing these teachings on to my students and sharing my experience.

In the incredible range of the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®, we have plant allies to help us express truthfully who we are on our earthly journey, to meet and overcome the obstacles and challenges apparent in our lives, and to evolve in accord with our unique destiny.

The First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® range are made in complete cooperation with plant spirits. I know of no other nature-based holistic healing modality that meets each of us intelligently and uniquely in our individual situations like the First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® range of vibrational medicine.

Maria Gerathy

First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® Tutor and Registered

Sydney, Australia

Maria's 2023 Teaching Schedule in Sydney, Australia 

Maria's First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand® in-class workshops

First Light® Ferns - Life Trauma
Moving Beyond Pain - Clearing the Aura
6 - 7 May 2023, 9am-5pm

First Light® Trees - Personal Power
Balance, Strengthen and Protect the Chakras
5 - 6 August 2023, 9am-5pm

First Light® Seeds - New Beginnings
Restoring DNA Master Patterns for Living 
9 - 10 September 2023, 9am-5pm

First Light® Plants - Life Enhancement
Enhance Life Experiences - Live Life Consciously
28 - 29 October 2023, 9am-5pm

To enrol into an in-person course with Maria, please contact her directly by email: [email protected]

With many blessings,
Franchelle and the Team at First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand®