The Rosewood Woman Reading List
For the woman building a body-led, legacy-rooted life and business
These books have shaped the way I live, lead, relate, and create.
I'm sharing them not because you need more to “do,” but because sometimes a sentence, a story, or a framework meets you exactly where you are—and opens the door to something new.
Some of these authors I align with deeply. Others I respectfully disagree with in parts—but still find value in the overall contribution. As with everything I teach, I invite you to take what resonates and leave the rest.
Much of what I teach is filtered through my own lens, and that includes how I view polarity, embodiment, wealth, and relational dynamics. For example, while I recommend John Gray’s work for how it opens up useful conversations around stress, hormones, and relationship patterns, I don’t subscribe to the belief that masculinity and femininity are percentage-based traits inside each person. Masculinity is not a psychological energy that exists separately from our biological sex—it is the expression of male embodiment, just as femininity is the expression of female embodiment. With that in mind, read with discernment and your own sovereignty.
You can access all of these books on my Amazon reading list here
xx Beth
Root | Embodiment, Nervous System & Living from the Body
Eastern Body, Western Mind – Anodea Judith
A powerful map for understanding yourself through both Eastern wisdom and Western psychology. This book connects your body’s energetic system with developmental stages, emotional wounds, and personal patterns. If you’ve ever felt like talk therapy wasn’t quite reaching the root, this bridges the gap. Especially supportive if you're doing somatic or inner child work alongside your business.
The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
An essential read for understanding how trauma shapes the body and nervous system. It gives language to the subtle and not-so-subtle ways our past affects our capacity, regulation, relationships, and leadership. Read this if you're ready to truly honor your body as part of your healing and growth.
Between Heaven and Earth – Harriet Beinfield & Efrem Korngold
This is a feminine, poetic exploration of Chinese medicine, elemental archetypes, and seasonal wisdom. It offers a rich, nature-rooted understanding of health and energetics. I recommend this if you're craving a more cyclical and Earth-connected way of caring for your body and honoring your phases.
Womb | Inner Liberation, Psychology & Sovereignty
The Courage to Be Disliked – Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
This book invites you to step fully into personal responsibility and release old stories. It challenges the trauma-centered lens without invalidating pain—and shows how to live in freedom, even if others don’t understand. If you’re reclaiming your sovereignty or navigating identity beyond your past, this is a pivotal read.
Leisure, the Basis of Culture – Josef Pieper
A quiet revolution in book form. It reclaims leisure—not laziness—as the root of creativity, wisdom, and culture. If you’re untangling your worth from productivity, or building a life where space and slowness are part of your design, this will remind you why it matters.
Heart | Relational Polarity, Love & the Masculine
Understanding Women – Alison A. Armstrong
Yes, this was written for men—but I recommend it to every woman I work with. It offers an honest, often confronting look at how we as women sometimes block the very love, support, and provision we desire. Read this to explore how your own independence and survival strategies may be standing in the way of receiving.
The Amazing Development of Men – Alison A. Armstrong
This short, powerful book shifted how I understand men. It outlines the internal stages of masculine development and explains so many dynamics we misinterpret. If you’re learning how to honor the men in your life—and want to feel less frustrated or confused—this book is gold.
Keys to the Kingdom – Alison A. Armstrong
A story-driven look at masculine identity, healing, and the struggle many men face between duty and desire. This book helps women feel the human side of the masculine journey. It’s not a manual—it’s a mirror for how we relate to and receive men.
Beyond Mars & Venus – John Gray
An updated version of the classic polarity framework, with a focus on stress, biology, and communication patterns in modern relationships. While I don't fully align with his premise of men and women having masculine/feminine “percentages,” this book still opens up important insights for navigating relationships with more clarity and compassion.
Crown | Business, Wealth & Feminine Prosperity
Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant – Robert Kiyosaki
If you're building a business, you need to understand this. It breaks down the difference between being self-employed and being a business owner, and what it means to build wealth vs. just making money. This book is a mindset reset around money, structure, and how to step into ownership.
Where to Start
You don’t have to read all of these. Start where your body says yes.
If you’re rebuilding from burnout or disconnection: Start with Eastern Body, Western Mind or Between Heaven and Earth.
If you’re navigating identity, independence, or people-pleasing: Try The Courage to Be Disliked or Leisure, the Basis of Culture.
If you’re healing your relationship with the masculine: Begin with The Amazing Development of Men or Keys to the Kingdom.
If you’re ready to take yourself seriously in business: Pick up Cashflow Quadrant.
Let these books be what they are: supportive guides. You don’t need to agree with every word to let something meaningful in.