Reiki

[5] Clinical research does not show reiki to be effective as a treatment for any medical condition, including cancer,[6][7] diabetic neuropathy,[8] anxiety or depression.

[2] According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the English alternative medicine word reiki comes from Japanese reiki (霊気) "mysterious atmosphere, miraculous sign", combining rei "universal" and ki "vital energy"—the Sino-Japanese reading of Chinese língqì (靈氣) "numinous atmosphere".

[10] Reiki's teachings and adherents claim that qi is a physiological force that can be manipulated to treat a disease or condition.

[11][14][15][16] David Gorski writes that reiki vies with homeopathy to be the "one quackery that rules them all" because of its "sheer ridiculousness and disconnect from reality".

[17] Jann Bellamy, a lawyer and critic of alternative medicine, has described the marketing of reiki as "fraudulent misrepresentation".

[3] In criticizing the State University of New York for offering a continuing education course on reiki, one source stated, "reiki postulates the existence of a universal energy unknown to science and thus far undetectable surrounding the human body, which practitioners can learn to manipulate using their hands,"[18] and others said, "In spite of its [reiki's] diffusion, the baseline mechanism of action has not been demonstrated ..."[19] and, "Neither the forces involved nor the alleged therapeutic benefits have been demonstrated by scientific testing.

"[8] Canadian sociologist Susan J. Palmer has listed reiki as among the pseudoscientific healing methods used by cults in France to attract members.

[2] Safety concerns for reiki sessions are very low and are akin to those of many complementary and alternative medicine practices.

[31] The Washington Post reported in 2014 that in response to customer demand, at least 60 hospitals in the United States offered reiki, at a cost of between $40 and $300 per session.

[34][better source needed] The first reiki clinic in the United States was started in 1970 by Hawayo Takata, a student of Chujiro Hayashi (who was a disciple of Usui).