Skeptic of the attunement

So I'm an energy worker, I use all different forms of energy. I was looking into reiki because I felt a calling to heal others. Upon looking into it further I find its actually quite easy to do, and very refreshing. But I was looking and in order to be certified or considered an actual practitioner I would have to be attuned.. which would be fine if it wasn't 450 for it. Im not sure what to call it, but something feels very wrong about the whole "pay to play" when it's an energy thats very much within everything that exists. And that's first level attunement, I did see that price is not the typical but still my point stands. So I guess I have a few questions. Why is the attunement needed? When I asked the only answer I got was that it was needed.. to be certified. Why is it so expensive? Even 150 for an attunement feels like a bit of a sham. And no offense to anyone who practices, the energy is real and the healing is real and i do understand yall got bills to pay too, but the price tags for things like that is just dizzying. Especially when it's energy that i can already tap into