Love, Lust, Or Infatuation? How To Tell The Difference

When you develop intense feelings for someone, it can be hard to tell if you’re experiencing lust, infatuation, or the beginning of genuine, lasting love. All three feelings can be powerful and overwhelming, but they are very different.

These energies often manifest similarly at first: your heart races, you get butterflies, you can’t eat or sleep, and you find yourself daydreaming constantly. Not to mention the dizzy excitement you feel when you see his name pop up on your phone!

However, love, lust, and infatuation are not the same from a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual perspective.

Infatuation can hit like lightning. One day, you’re going about your life, and the next, someone catches your eye. Suddenly, you can’t stop thinking about them. It feels exciting — like something big is happening, like fate.

Infatuation is highly emotional, and if left unchecked, it can become an unhealthy obsession with someone. You idealize them and ignore their flaws. Although it can feel a lot like love, it lacks depth and stability.

It’s easy to get caught up in the rush. But that high doesn’t always last. Infatuation can fade as quickly as it began, especially when you start to see the real person behind the sparkly image.

Often, infatuation appears when we’re in a state of desperation. Maybe we’re feeling lonely or want to be loved so badly that we project all our hopes onto someone else. We might think, “This person will complete me,” or “Everything will be better once we’re together.”

However, not even true love can fix your life. It’s not about finding someone to fill a void. Real love happens when two people feel whole and choose to be together anyway.

Then there’s lust, which is purely physical attraction. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Chemistry is important! However, lust alone isn’t enough to build a lasting relationship.

Lust is usually short-lived, focused on instant gratification rather than emotional connection. It can easily exist without deeper feelings or personal attachment. While it can be fun and fiery, without an emotional and spiritual connection, lust usually fizzles out.

While it’s possible to have both love and lust in the same relationship, you must be honest with yourself about what’s driving the connection.

Unlike infatuation and lust, real love develops over time. It doesn’t rush or overwhelm you. It grows through shared experiences, trust, and getting to know each other for who you truly are.

Love feels safe and steady. It calms you down instead of making you anxious. It’s about showing up for each other, even when it’s not convenient or exciting. Love supports and respects you, helping you grow into the best version of yourself. Real love makes you feel seen, valued, and safe, even on hard days.

Fortunately, there are spiritual ways to cut through the noise and gain clarity. Whether you’re just getting to know someone or you’ve been in a confusing relationship for a while, these three strategies can help you discern the truth your higher self already knows.

Intuitive Meditation: Listen To Your Inner Guidance

Your intuition is one of the most powerful tools you have when it comes to love. However, amid the chaos of new emotions, it’s easy to overlook the subtle signals it sends. Intuitive meditation helps you tune in to your inner voice and access your heart’s truth.

To try it, set aside a few quiet minutes when you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and think about the person you’re interested in. Then, calmly ask yourself a few relevant questions:

What is this connection really about?
How does my energy feel around this person?
Does this person truly see me?
Do I feel like myself around them, or do I feel like I have to perform or impress them?
Do they support my growth, or do I always feel uncertain?

Don’t overthink it—just notice what comes up naturally. When you think of them, do you feel peaceful and grounded or anxious and unsettled? Do they energize you, or do you feel drained around them? Your body and emotions can reveal what your logical mind might be missing.

With practice, intuitive meditation can help you trust your intuition. It brings you back to center, allowing you to recognize whether you’re truly connected to the person or caught up in fantasy or desire.

Divination: Let the Universe Weigh In

Sometimes, we need help reading between the lines. Divination tools, such as tarot cards, oracle decks, runes, and pendulums, can provide a fresh perspective when you’re too emotionally invested in a situation.

For instance, a good tarot reading won’t simply answer “yes or no” about your love life; it will reveal the energies at play. Are the cards you’re pulling about illusion, temptation, or emotional highs and lows? This could suggest infatuation or lust. Cards about commitment, spiritual growth, or long-term stability might point toward a relationship with real potential.

The key to successful divination work is openness. Don’t force a certain answer; invite the truth, even if it’s not what you hoped to hear. Divination tools won’t make decisions for you, but they can reveal what’s hidden beneath the surface.

If you’re new to divination, draw one card and ask, “What do I need to understand about this connection?” Let the imagery and message speak to you intuitively. Alternatively, you can look up the card’s meaning and reflect on its message.

Dreamwork: Access Your Subconscious Truth

When your conscious mind is clouded with questions, your dreams can provide surprising clarity. Dreams bypass the filters of logic and ego, communicating instead through symbols, emotions, and intuitive impressions. If you’re uncertain about your feelings in a relationship, paying attention to your dreams can provide valuable insight.

Before bed, set an intention by asking your higher self or guides to reveal the truth about your connection to someone in a dream. Keep a journal or use a note-taking app on your phone to record whatever you remember when you wake up, no matter how random or strange it may seem.

Dreams in which someone pulls away, disappears, or appears only in shadows may suggest emotional unavailability or a lack of substance. Dreams in which you experience warmth, peace, or mutual understanding may reflect a deeper soul connection.

You don’t need to be a dream expert to interpret your dreams; just pay attention to how you felt while dreaming and what themes emerge. Over time, patterns will emerge, and your subconscious will begin to communicate with you more clearly.

Pray For Signs. Ask For Divine Confirmation

Sometimes, the simplest spiritual practice can be the most powerful. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure, try asking your higher power — whether you call it Spirit, Source, God, or the Divine — to show you clear signs about your romantic connection.

Signs sometimes come in unexpected ways and are not always dramatic. Sometimes, the absence of a sign is an answer in itself. Patience and faith are key.

Signs can come through intuition, repeated patterns, or even words from others. Signs can also show up as synchronicities—meaningful “coincidences” that seem too aligned to be random. These little nudges from the universe help guide you back to your truth. These signs can be a song lyric, a chance encounter, or a symbol appearing in an unexpected place. They offer reassurance or gentle redirection.

Praying for signs is a deeply personal practice. Regardless of your approach, it’s important to pray with an expectant and receptive mindset and a grateful heart.

If you are new to prayer, here is a simple, heartfelt prayer that you can use or adapt to fit your beliefs and needs:

Dear God,

Today I am seeking your guidance and clarity. 

I ask with humility and faith, for a sign of confirmation. Please show me a clear indication, in a way that only I can recognize and understand, that I am on the right path with this relationship or that this is indeed the best person for me to be with.

Help me to be attentive and receptive to your message. Quiet the noise within and around me so I can truly discern your gentle voice.

I trust in your divine wisdom and perfect timing. Grant me the patience to wait for your sign and the courage to follow where you lead.

Thank you for your unfailing love and for always being with me.

Amen.

The more you trust this process, the clearer the signs will become. Asking for guidance is an act of surrender that opens the door to real spiritual insight.

Psychic Reading: Get The Bigger Picture

Sometimes, you need an outside perspective that goes beyond surface details and taps into the deeper dynamics of your connection. That’s where a reputable psychic or medium can be helpful.

Sometimes, you meet someone and feel an instant connection. It’s as if you’ve known them forever, and no matter how much time passes, you can’t stop thinking about them. This could be more than just chemistry; it might be a past-life connection or soul contract.

A skilled reader can tap into the energy between you and another person to understand what’s really happening. Is this a soulmate? Or a karmic connection? Or just a passing fling? A skilled psychic can help you understand why this person appeared in your life and whether the connection will last.

We often see these kinds of spiritual ties in psychic readings. While these connections aren’t always meant to last forever, they are meaningful. They can teach us something, help us heal, or help us break old patterns.

Having a strong connection doesn’t automatically mean it’s true love, but it could be part of your soul’s journey. Sometimes, what we think is love is actually a reflection of our own personal growth. Other times, it really is the start of something beautiful. A reading can help you tell the difference.

Work with a psychic who has strong ethics, clear communication, and a grounded, non-dramatic approach. A good reading will empower you with clarity and insight; it will never scare you or try to sell you additional services.

Love doesn’t always come with fireworks or grand gestures. Sometimes it shows up quietly — in the way someone listens to you, supports your dreams, or makes you feel safe being yourself.

Infatuation fades. Lust cools down. But love? Love sticks around. It grows deeper over time, becoming something solid you can count on.

So slow down. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, don’t ignore it. If it feels real, give it space to grow.

Ultimately, true love doesn’t just light you up with joy — it gives you certainty and inner peace. True love is a safe space.