A PERSONAL
TESTIMONY

DEVELOPING
LUCIDITY
IN MY DREAMS
by
Gregory Scott Sparrow
Virginia Beach, Virginia

     Lucid dreaming, or the experience of becoming
conscious while in the dream state, first came to my
attention in a dream early in 1971. As I look back,
however, I realize that lucid dreaming represents a
development in a theme which first appeared in my early
childhood.
      Even then my dreams were particularly vivid and
life-like. I can still remember awakening on several
occasions after a dream with an exquisite feeling of joy
and well-being. As a child I quickly forgot the details of
most of these early dreams; yet I can still recall
exhilarating dreams of flying and plummeting fearlessly
from great heights. I remember bouncing about
weightlessly and laughing throughout these dreams. The
theme which characterized these early experiences can
perhaps be summarized as a desire for spiritual freedom
and for overcoming. Although the conditions throughout
my life have been relatively unrestricting, this desire has
persisted, nevertheless, and seems to have contributed
to the development of lucid dreaming in my own case.
      My first rememberable lucid dream occurred during
my freshman year in college. Like many persons who
have had such an experience, I was deeply impressed
with its significance. The dream had such an effect that it

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