Yeah there are different levels of with reiki.
The original Usui tradition has three levels. There are some offshoots of the Usui and so some schools of reiki have like mini levels between levels.
Each level can cost a pretty penny or three ( or not if you find a budget sensei
).
I'll touch base on the three levels that I know ( and have under my belt).
Level 1
You get to play with Cho Ku Rei! YAY!
So you can practice reiki on a physical level on yourself, your pets, your house, your food (yes I said food), your stones. WEEEEEE!!!
Level 2
Sei He Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen I choose you! Now you have the ability to work on the rest of the levels of the human world as well as long distance and more!
Level 3
Dai Ko Myo and the Master symbol are passed to you and now you can be your own reiki master ------->
<----------
This means you can now attune others too.
Yes I simplified the crap out of that.
Technically you can get the attunements done in about a weekend ( and while it is not a traditional method that is remotely reconized, it is a valid method and the reiki does "take" as the attunements are powerful).
If you want the full benefit of understanding and working with reiki then you are supposed to wait like 6 months between attunements ( in some trads, it's years).
Anyways no matter how you come across it, that is the basic breakdown of the levels. Each level of course comes with meditations and techniques ( not just willy nilly symbol throwing).
I hope this helps some.
C.S.
Reiki Levels? 
Linear Mode
