his form of healing, rediscovered about 150 years ago, has become very popular and has also been pretty maligned/mis-propagated/incorrectly taught.
Reiki also is a way of using the Universal Life Energy, but by getting permanently tuned to the vibrations of the Universal Life Energy (Reiki). Once attuned, we remain a channel for this highest universal vibratory level for the rest of our life, whether we use it or not. The crux is in the way the attunements are done, with proper intervals. In other therapies, one tunes to the energy only when one is healing, whereas in reiki one remains constantly tuned to the Universal Life Energy. Therefore, there is no need to consciously come from tuning the healing energy while treating with Reiki. This makes it unique in its usage. Different levels of healing in Reiki require further attunements, which has to be done only if a person is found fit enough to handle the higher level of vibrations and has made progress on all levels in their life, which is evident in the transformation of quality of their life after becoming a Reiki channel. If this is not followed strictly, it can adversely affect the person. Just as we focus chemical energy through medications, magnetic energy through magnets, spiritual energy through meditations-chants, in Reiki, after becoming a channel, one is trained to focus the Universal Life Energy on self and others (both animate and inanimate) as the need be. The asset of this form is compulsory self healing and self growth.

Reiki is a panacea for any and every disease, with or without the help of other therapies, is a myth. However, Reiki does support in transformation of life, but Reiki is no magic. The channel is only transmitting the energy to the receiver. They are not transmitting their own life energy, but merely acting as a conduit for the universal energy to reach the receiver, who is in an imbalanced state (of mind, body, emotions, feeling, thoughts, etc.) Since it is one-way flow of energy from the channel to the receiver, the channel does not receive back anything from the healee into them. The universal energy reacts with the receiver in a way that is fit for him at that point of time. Therefore, the result of Reiki, like other therapies, depend on the willingness/ need/ openness of the receiver to make change in their present condition of life. As one advances in this training, one can focus this energy either by touch or in absentia over any distance. When we focus the energy, it flows into the receiver and sweeps or flushes out the unneeded toxins present within, on multi-layer level.
Reiki is a process of detoxification and not suppression of symptoms. Since the receiver attracts the energy, they only draw as much as is needed for them and one cannot focus excess just because the channel wishes to. Reiki being the energy of life can work only to balance life on all levels, and one cannot use it for evil or destructive purpose.

To master this form of healing, it is absolutely essential that one grows on the spiritual level also, as higher form of healing is form the mental and spiritual energy - not on physical energy level. On an average, a committed therapist can take about four to five years to become a master and further four to five years to become a grand master. The crash courses (the quicky-quicks) that one reads about these days are harmful in the long run, but in the present jet age, who has the time to think of consequences?

Reki works well as a stand alone therapy on many physical and mental illnesses, for stress release, strengthening weak organs, raising energy levels, postoperative traumas, behavioural problems, de-addictions, plants, animals, etc. But where one is already on other form of treatments, Reiki also works as a supportive therapy to accelerate the rate of healing. Reiki can help us to find our way back to a holistic state of health. Reiki has nothing to do with religion, occult, faith, hypnosis or any other systems of beliefs. Being a Reiki channel does not make you a 'magician' or 'psycho-conjuror'. This is an absolute divine work, and one needs to work with intutive powers. One also need not be sick to experience Reiki. One can always receive it even if one feels he is healthy, because the energy finds its own wisdom and route to work on mental, emotional and feeling level to allow us find our own truth in life and existence.

Unfortunately, due to the commercialisation of everything in life, there are lots of myths surrounding this simple, holistic way of life. Advertisements pronounce that to handle different aspects in life one must learn different forms of Reiki like Karuna Reiki, Success Reiki, Crystal Reiki, Love Reiki, Seichem Tera Mai, etc. This is like saying we need different intestines in our body to digest different foods we eat. How foolish - Reiki is a life energy empowering to unite life through love, compassion and empathy. One does not have to go through different trainings for this. But one needs to be trained by a teacher who will include these various aspects in the coaching. The other myth is that we do not need medical science in life at all; a channel automatically becomes enlightened, has no normal feelings-emotions-needs of ordinary life, is beyond pains and hurts, does not need to put efforts to achieve goals in life, needs to follow certain factions of gurus and rituals, etc. To practise or receive Reiki, no special faith or belief is required. Reiki has enabled many peoples to crystalise understanding of religious matters while enabling them to experience spirituality in a more scientific way. To be a good Reiki therapist, what one needs is to be able to work from intuition, commitment, honesty, willingness to encompass other forms of healing in life.