Sheila Fling — Travel & Study, Related Activities, Organizations

Sheila loved to travel and “did tea” on six continents including Japan, India, Tanzania, US, Peru, Russia, and Australia. She was also featured in a one-hour program on Austin Access TV, and was featured on the TV program “Texas Country Reporter.”

Travel

  • 1960 and 1979 - travelled to Europe

  • 1990 - travelled to Israel and Greece.

  • 1991 - Summer, three weeks in Japan: attended two conferences; stayed in a Buddhist temple.

  • 1992 - January—July in Japan: Stayed in Buddhist temples; studied meditation, Morita and Naikan psychotherapies; met with Japanese psychology professors and students; gave guest lectures; began research on Workaholism and Health; studied tea ceremony; had a few lessons in sumi-e, calligraphy, ikebana, archery and incense; attended many festivals, Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku, music and dance programs.

  • 1993 - Summer, Fellow, Japan Studies Institute, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, San Diego State University.

  • 1993 - Summer, five weeks in Japan: attended two conferences, climbed Mt. Fuji San; completed traveled to all four main islands; studied tea and meditation; stayed in Buddhist temples; attended festivals.

  • 1995 - month of July in Japan: fellowship to study tea at the Urasenke Foundation in Kyoto; presented workshop for Kansai International Association of Counselors and Psychotherapists; spent several days each at a Buddhist temple and a monastery.

  • 1995 - month of August: travelled to Hong Kong, Taiwan, International Women’s Conference in China, and Thailand.

  • 1996–1998 - fellowship for half-time study of chado for two years in Midorikai & ICI at Urasenke Foundation, Kyoto. Half-time Director of International Studies at Aoibashi Family Clinic, Kyoto, for one year. Half-time professor at Osaka Kokusai Joshi Daigaku, Osaka, for one year.

  • 1999 - Three weeks in June, in Japan: attended conference on Zen & Jungian psychology. Received study grant at the Urasenke Foundation; lived in Zen temple. Also travelled to northwestern India for Hindu pilgimrage, and to Russia.

  • 2000 - Travelled to northeastern India for Hindu pilgimrage

  • 2001 - Travelled to southern India for Hindu pilgimrage.

  • 2003 - Three weeks in June, in Japan: presented paper at conference, “Hiroshima and Nagasaki Reconsidered” and studied tea ceremony. Also travelled to northwestern India and Peru.

  • 2004 - Travelled to Tanzania and sponsored three Tanzanian girls through high school.

  • 2005 - Three weeks in summer, in Tokyo: studied Chado.

  • 2008 - travelled to Egiypt

  • 2009 - travelled to the Parliament of World Religions in Australia, and went to New Zealand.

  • 2010 - made a Celtic Journey to Ireland.

Related activities

  • Took four semesters of Japanese language using Japanese the Spoken Language and The Written Language by E. H. Jordan.

  • Took courses in Japanese history, art, dance, and cooking.

  • Active in Zen groups; research, practice, and teach meditation.

  • Developed and taught a course for Honors Students on “The Japanese Psyche.”

  • Arranged for visiting professor Yuji Sakano, sensei of Waseda University, to consult and lecture on campus, (Visiting International Scholars in Texas)

  • Arranged University Lecture and Workshop by visiting Soto Zen Buddhist monk-scholar Shohaku Okumura Sensee of the Minnesota Zen Center.

  • Arranged & promoted sell-out performance at SWT by Tetshin Daiko Drum Troupe from Oita, Japan.

  • Member, Asia Study Group (Faculty group for expanding Asian studies at SWT) 1994–1995.

  • Lectured on Japanese culture and psychology (Japanese Verbal & NonVerbal Communications; Japanese Women; Japanese Self, etc.) for universities and other organizations.

  • Entertained Japanese visiting professors, teachers, students, parents, and others.

Organization Memberships

  • Japan America Society of Austin, member 1990, Board of Directors l993–95, 1999.

  • Japan America Society of Greater Austin, current member, presented programs in Chado & Japanese communication styles, and was awarded the Bridge of Friendship Award in 2019.

  • Japan America Society of San Antonio, member 1990–1995

  • Austin-Oita Sister City Committee Board of Directors, 1993-1994.

  • Austin-Japan Connection, member 1993–5.

  • Austin Japan Association, member 1994–5, 1999–2018.

  • Houston Urasenke Friends of Tea, one of the chairpersons, 1993–1996.