You need to look a tree in the eye to gain a mutual respect for each other. Stand up straight, look the tree directly in its eye(s). If it looks right back, you know things are mutual.
If your respect for the tree is mutual with the respect the tree feels for you, you'll be able to see the tree's soul (そう). Right now its soul looks pretty sad, like it's trying to say, "Why are your people cutting down all my friends? I thought we had a mutual understanding."
kcfgogbfalgfl