It's... uh. [okay explaining this to muggles, she can do this.] It's like... all of the avatar knowledge across the ages coming together at once, for the power and wisdom and spiritual connection. In its lesser form, it makes me able to communicate with my past lives to gain their wisdom without having to go into the actual Avatar State proper.
But... I mean, I can't talk to them like that anymore. Because my connection was severed.