Kurukulla/ Red Tara empowerment?

[Rubygirl]

I've been doing research on Pomba Giras and a post about Kurukulla jumped out at me and "enthralled me".


Anyone have experience with this deity/Dimension of Tara or the Tibetan Buddhist system of empowerments? I know they really want to focus on everything being on the good of all, which I'm not opposed to necessarily. But I don't believe in waiting months and years for someone else to approve me.

How does one go about getting "empowerments"? It seems very similar to voodoo and other systems where they tell you you have to go to a priest and have it handed down for the mantras and sadhanas to have full effect. But I wonder if this is necessarily true. Why can't I make my own direct connection to the deity? Or how can I?