Maya is an often misunderstood word, and this misconception has created a lot of unnecessary suffering in the minds of people.  When you look at an object, like a stone, your idea about it is that it has certain characteristics, it is solid, it is unmoving, etc.  But if you put that stone under an electronic microscope, the entire thing changes. Suddenly you see electrons bouncing around and there is no solid object anymore.  Which is true?  The solid stone or the world of atoms?  Actually, both are true, but both are a relative reality.  When we are in the gross plane, 'solid' is true.  When we are in the atomic plane, 'energy' is true.  This is Maya.  Maya means relative reality.