Ever since I’ve came to interest myself in the fascinating world of crystals, there’s one question that has continued to haunt me. As crystals are products of nature, I wondered whether crystals are actually alive. Just like trees are considered living organisms, it made sense to me to question whether the same goes for crystals. This is what I’ve found out.
While crystals are not technically considered living beings or organisms, they do hold some specific characteristics that are required to determine something as alive, such as a crystal’s ability to grow.
In order to call something a living organism, it has to be able to breathe, grow, eat, reproduce and develop. So while crystals might not actually technically and officially be considered alive with the knowledge we have today, they are not far away from it either, they’re certainly something you won’t come across much often.
I personally feel like crystals definitely have some specific properties that we might not yet be able to classify as alive, as it’s not the kind of properties we as humans generally tend to see as a form of a living being, however I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this scientific contemporary point of view will be changed in the (hopefully near) future!
Now let’s dive a bit deeper into the composition and energetic abilities of crystals to find out what makes these amazing objects so very special.
Table of Contents
Do Crystals Have Cells?
As any living organism is known to consist out of trillions of cells, it’s a fairly understandable question to ask whether crystals have cells as well.
In the human body, cells are responsible for practicing the main functions, taking in nutrients and providing a set structure. When cells unite within the human body, they are able to create our vital organs. Also cells are able to take copies of themselves and multiply.
When it comes to crystals however, there are some significant differences with regard to biological cells. A crystal is made up of an arrangement of molecules, which are called units. The smallest unit within a crystal is called a unit cell. This single unit cell makes up for the entire symmetry of the crystal.
So while the crystal consists of a cell, it can’t be compared to cells you’ll find in the human body for example. Where cells in the human body consist out of many different parts with each their individual function, a cell you’ll find in a crystal only has a singular function.
Do Crystals Grow?
Even though crystals don’t exactly fit the established description of a living organism, they do actually grow. A crystal starts off very small and will grow when more atoms are automatically being added during the natural growing process.
The process of crystals growing is called crystallization. Influenced by surrounding pressure and temperature, a specific shape of crystal will eventually be formed. Also the final size will depend on how far the surroundings of the crystal will allow it to grow.
There are certain types of crystals that grow in mineral rich water areas, and other types of crystal that you’ll be able to find within rocks or limestone rich areas.
There are even stories of people who have experienced crystals that, after being harvested, will continue to grow when they are surrounded with the right conditions! It might be quite hard to notice though, as it is said to grow at a very slow pace of around 1 mm per year.
If you’d like to see for yourself how crystals are actually able to grow, this exciting grow your own crystals kit is a great and fun way to learn more about this amazing process! It’s awesome for teaching both kids and adults about the beauty and complexity of crystal growth.
Do Crystals Breathe?
Even though they are only a few aspects away from being able to officially be declared a living organism, there is no hard evidence nowadays that crystals are actually able to breathe.
However, there are two French geologists who have done some quite interesting research on this topic and claim to have found evidence that rocks actually do show some vital breathing activity, just at a much slower pace than normally expected. According to these two geologists, it would take a stone between three days to two weeks to take one single breath.
Do Crystals Have Auras?
Crystals are known to have auras. When crystals aren’t affected by any surrounding energies, the aura will be clear. A clear aura around a crystal is a sign the crystal is neutralized of any possible surrounding emotions or thoughts.
When crystals are confronted with a specific energy in any shape of form, the crystal will take on the aura color of the other entity it has crossed its path with.
The fact that crystals are able to take on other entities’ auras and energies is exactly why it so extremely important to spiritually cleanse crystals after you’ve been using them (or when you feel like they might have been exposed to a little bit too much drama lately). When you make it a habit to cleanse your crystal any time you’ve used it, then you can safely use your crystal next time without having to worry about any (negative) energies still lingering around and unexpectedly influence your thought and feelings.
A great way to cleanse your crystals is by rinsing them in (filtered) water, or smudge the crystals with sage or incense.
Do Crystals Have Energy?
Everything around us is some form of energy. As both the human body and crystals are a form of pure energy, they are both able to absorb and transfer energy at various frequencies.
Due to the unique structure of each different type of crystal, they are able to let a specific energy move through them which in turn will result in the ability to fix or ‘clear’ any negative resonating energies surrounding it.
Each specific type of crystal has it’s individual unique properties which can potentially be of great beneficial value to you. An amethyst for example is known for its ability to provide relaxation and dissolve negativity. Whereas Rose Quartz is famous for spreading feelings of peace and opening the heart chakra.
Because each crystal has its own special properties, it is important to clarify for yourself what specific benefits you are looking to get from a crystal. Based on this information, you will be able to choose and take home a crystal that will be best suited for you.
When you are looking for specific crystals that can help you relax and get you in a calmer state of mind, I wrote another article about these specific crystals and their unique properties which you might find interesting as well! You can click the following link to find out which crystals are great to keep in your bedroom!