I will chime in just to share my view and add some context. I've followed Rinpoche since 2006/7.
As was mentioned before, the days of private interviews, even group interviews are over. The last private interview was 2018 / 19 ish. The last group interview was December 2019 / January 2020 ish. This is a choice of his handlers, not Rinpoche per se.
After covid there is little or no chance to even get within six feet of him, perhaps if you live on campus and do work-study for some time, or are employed there. But even then who knows.
Rinpoche does not answer emails, there are two or three people max that bring him questions and then record answers and write back an email of what he said. Imaging three, but mostly two people getting dozens and dozens of messages a day from thousands of students who all want their email answered, when you cant speak the language.
Rinpoche is mostly in retreat, he comes out for Sunday practices for the most part, other than that he is in his hut. It has been like that for at least three years now.
Having great devotion to this person as a Guru, and following his instructions the best you can will take you far. But we should be realistic with our circumstance. As we all know in Kagyu and Nyingma the Root Guru is who has introduced you tho the nature of your mind and you got it through their pointing out, through faith and unwavering devotion, through applying the methods given etc.
We need feedback from our teachers, as much as we can ( at least in my journey YMMV ) when we get stuck. The one on one teacher disciple relationship is very difficult with Lineage heads and big lamas. I don't mean you need to talk every week, but access when questions come up in some form. Namkhai Norbu was an example of someone who though you might not see often or meet in person much, you were still able to get pith answers quite quickly. He was a true blessing in that way.
If we have great devotion to a Guru who is not accessible, keeping our faith and devotion, applying the instructions, and maintaining samaya will take us far, but we need to find a seasoned practitioner or another qualified teacher who we connect with. This person can helps untie the knots of doubt and guide us when we think we got something, but we really don't.
Following our "intuition" and hoping our teacher "speaks to us" in a dream or a voice in our head is not the best approach, IMO. We are constantly tricking ourselves, we have tricked ourselves into this realm of karmic vision. You get the point.
None the less, never underestimate the power of devotion and unwavering faith to the Guru. This thread of focus and intent opens the heart mind and allows us to more quickly realize the view beyond self and other.
Thats about it.
Bryan.
