When the soul knows itself to be different from the gross, subtle, and mental bodies, it knows itself to be infinite. As infinite Soul, it does nothing; it merely IS.
When the mind is added onto the individualized soul, it appears to think.
When the subtle body is added onto the soul with the mind, it appears to desire.
When the gross body is added onto these, the soul appears to be engaged in actions.
The belief that the soul is doing anything is a false belief. For example, an individual believes that he is sitting in the chair, but in fact it is the body that is sitting in the chair. The belief that the soul is sitting in the chair is due to identification with the physical body. In the same way a person believes that he is thinking, but in fact it is the mind that is thinking. The belief that the soul is thinking is due to identification with the mind. It is the mind that thinks and the body that sits. The soul is neither engaged in thinking nor in any other physical actions.
-Extracted from Discourses, 7th Ed., p377
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“The meaning of God-realization is emancipation — freedom from the bondage of maya. But one has to be in maya to come out of it. So remain in maya but do not get enmeshed in it. Keep away from its tricks and snares.” (www.lordmeher.org, p1591)