Writing

I like to write essays which report and reflect on connections: Connections among humans, nature, and spirit. Connections among people and ideas.

One of my favorite themes is how to live balancing—balancing inside and out, past and future, quick and slow—what Hopi people and Daoism call the Middle Way.

For some samples of this, please enjoy the essays:

You can also see a selected list of my Publications and Grants.

"Be Happy" essay now published in
Still Point Arts Quarterly!
The theme of Still Point's Summer 2026 issue is ways the cultures called West have been influenced by cultures they call The East.
My little essay describes important things I learned from Yü AnRen, a yo long gongfu master, and from my students during a year I taught English in China.
A free pdf of the magazine can be downloaded from the Shanti Arts website.
"Be Happy' is on pages 36-42.

A NOTE FOR THOSE SENSITIVE TO GRAMMAR: The lovely editor of Still Point Arts Quarterly seems to dislike dashes. As a result she created a clunky sentence on p. 41 by inserting a second “but” where I used a dash. For those who notice, here is the sentence put right again: “In such a world, I might still be lifted into tears by Mr. Yu’s performance, but not because it seemed so far from what I could ever achieve—simply for its transcendent beauty.”

"In Praise of Empty Space" now published
in The Ranger's Almanac!
This interesting journal is full of lively poetry, field reports,
and stories from beautiful parks all over the U.S. It is
now available for $25 at
The Ranger's Almanac website. Unfortunately,
it is currently being sold only through Amazon.

I am exploring other possibilities and will let you know on this website
as they become available.

"In Praise of Empty Space" is the prize-winning essay that resulted from a wonderful two weeks I spent with artist Rachel Wilson as
Artists-in-Residence at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
in Northern Arizona.
Continuing thanks to the excellent managers and rangers at Hubbell who made this powerful experience possible.

The Southern Ocean © Eef Willems

Sailing Between Sea and Sky: What I Learned from the Ocean about Life on Earth was a Finalist in the 2025 Wandering Aengus & Trail to Table Book Awards!
Editors called Finalist manuscripts "more than worthy of publication."
In particular, they admired my memoir Sailing Between Sea and Sky for its
"meticulous research" and its rich subject.

For a glimpse of the tone and style of Sailing Between and Sky, please enjoy the excerpt on this website from my essay "Everything Moves"

Please respect the creative work of artists.
Give credit for any words or images from this site that you share.
© 2017 • Phyllis L. Thompson

My memoir now has its own facebook page with photos and more information aboutSailing Between Sea and Sky:What I Learned from the Ocean about Life on Earth

My memoir now has its own facebook page with photos and more information about
Sailing Between Sea and Sky:
What I Learned from the Ocean about Life on Earth