In Sanskrit, maya means “illusion.”  And often, maya is used to refer to material existence.  In the Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra writes: “Maya does not mean that the world is an illusion, as is often wrongly stated.  The illusion merely lies in our point of view.  Maya is the illusion of mistaking or relative perspective for reality, of confusing the map with the territory.”  One explanation is that the material world exists, but it is only temporary.  It is like a dream, having substance for a short period of time.  Material existence, or matter, is not forever; it is limited and measurable.  Spiritual things, on the other hand, are limitless.  The Demigoddess named Maya creates a situation where we live a life of illusion and forgetfulness.  Her spiritual counterpart, Yogamaya, creates an atmosphere where we can penetrate the world’s illusions and relish intimacy with the source of all existence.