def METHOD_NAME(self):
    """
    Returns the raw meta tree at the current path, if it exists; otherwise
    an empty object. This will contain both the meta data of the key ("")
    and sub meta trees.
    It is not safe to mutate the return value since it might be detached
    from the actual meta tree.
    """
    meta = self._meta
    for key in self._path:
        meta = meta.get(key) or {}
    return meta