Experiencing A Tree For us, in this very moment, an experience of a tree does not "exist" since we are looking at computer screens. The label "tree" and its associations do exist as thoughts, and from these we can construct a mental image of a tree. In the moment of seeing, touching, smelling, et al a tree, the presence or absence of perceptual filters such as the aforementioned label, associations, and image of "tree" define the experience as much as the actual tree does. We don't (to use Jim's word) "create" physical trees, our mental state very profoundly colors our perception of the tree as experience. Unless we are in the moment, unconditioned, in a sense we "create" that experience. Is such an unconditioned experience possible? For most, a fleeting glimpse of it is only likely when encountering the unexpected, when thought is shocked into momentary silence and we temporarily lose access to our memorized labels, associations, and images. This is why some meditative practices involve viewing sunrises and/or sunsets, which occur predictably but are each visually unique and nearly impossible to visualize mentally. Although each physical tree is also unique with every experience, the differences are less apparent and we rarely get past our stored labels, associations, and image(s). (An excerpt from - Listening-I email list)