Virginia Jayne Bird, PhD

Virginia Jayne Bird died peacefully on Saturday, December 1, 2012, after a decline in health. Virginia was eighty-two years old and is survived by her five children—Robert, Lara, Christopher, Pennel, and Cameron—and nine grandchildren.

For many years, Virginia lived her life's ambition, inhabiting a traditional feminine role as wife to business executive Robert Bird and mother to five children. At midlife, however, Virginia was called to a transition and began a Jungian analysis while she and her family lived in London and thus began her journey of becoming a Jungian analyst. She began analytic training in Zürich and, upon returning to the United States, completed training at the C. G. Jung Institute of New York. She received her doctorate in psychology from the Institutes of Religion and Health.

Once certified as an analyst, Virginia became a supervisor and faculty member of the C. G. Jung Institute of New York. For many years, she taught case seminars and served on the Board of the Institute. Her acute intuition, gentle and tactful way of delivering feedback, and her devotion to analytic work made her a beloved and sought-after analyst, teacher, and supervisor. In 2004, Virginia became a member of the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association.

A highly cultured person devoted equally to literature, music, and art, Virginia's impeccable sense of aesthetics was evident in her personal style, the warmth and beauty of her surroundings, and the splendor of her gardens. Whether she lived in London, Wilton, or on East Eighty-third Street in Manhattan, Virginia's garden rollicked in flowers, greenery, and unique whimsical touches that delighted the observer. Her gifts in aesthetic sensibilities were not her only ones. The deep caring and acute intuition that made Virginia a talented analyst also made her a unique friend. Always related, intensely connected, in Virginia's presence one felt deeply seen, understood, and recognized. Perhaps one of the most outstanding features of Virginia's life as an analyst was the gratitude she felt in her work with analysands. Often she reflected on the sentiment—it was one of her life's blessings to have had the privilege of becoming an analyst, and she felt profoundly honored to be a witness to the process of transformation in the analysands and students with whom she worked.