Unio mystica. Opium, gazy halucynogenne i instrumenty teurgiczne w kręgach filozofów neoplatońskich późnego antyku

Numerous books on the subject suggest that in the late antiquity, in various circles of pagan Neoplatonic philosophers some psychoactive substances were used to achieve the state of unio mystica. One of the most often suggested drugs was opium. The present article, however, proves this opinion to be wrong. Opium was often a component of different types of drugs and medicines, but for a mystical experience hallucinogenic gases were used together with specially constructed theurgic instruments, such as strophalos.