Lybster man's healing space ambition after turning dark episode into positive force
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A Lybster man talked candidly about his vision of creating a healing space in the village and how he turned past negative experiences into a force that drives him on.
Ruairidh Anderson has lived in the Caithness village for a number of years and when we visited he was well on the way to creating his dream healing hub to help people overcome mental health and addiction issues.
"This place will transport you somewhere different," he explained while conducting a tour of his facility.
A cabin in the back garden of his council house was pumping out heat from a wood burning stove to an incredible 120°F and had similarities to the Native American sweat lodge used in purification ceremonies. "This is a healing hut and it's a one-off build design. I did a crystal healing course and put hundreds of crystals, that come from all over the world, into the cement foundations of it.
"Everything you see out in the garden here has been reclaimed and I've done this while disabled and on benefits for the last few years."
Ruairidh says he has tens of thousands of trees that he wishes to plant in wasteland close to his home to create a Highland healing retreat. The long-term idea is to help people who may be suffering from mental health problems and bring a sense of well-being and relaxation into their lives.
"This is for anybody – people on benefits, single mums, people that are broken, people that just need a break," he explained.
"Last year, it cost the UK alone 56.2 billion pounds for treating anxiety, stress and depression – just those three which lead to 17 million sick days. There are a lot more mental illnesses too. I want to build a place of safety and serenity so people can escape and heal."
Ruairidh said he is seeking funding from the "top 100 companies in Scotland" to help realise his ambitious dream for the Highland healing hub. "Between a half and one percent of their net profits every year – it's a small ask."
At the front of the house he plans to create a mini forest that will almost disguise the building façade and within that will be an environmentally friendly polytunnel with live plants, a koi carp fish pond and a fire pit. He already has thousands of tree saplings that he wants to use around the house and to transform nearby waste-ground into a retreat site. The current work is a "business model" and he will seek funding to expand his vision.
The 43-year-old opened up about his own mental health issues and a particular episode in April 2013 when he says he had a "psychotic breakdown" at his father's house in Aberdeen. Ruairidh claims this occurred after he experienced burnout from a high-powered job in the oil industry. The upshot was that police attended the address instead of ambulance crew.
He lodged an official complaint about his treatment by the police and said he should have been taken to hospital instead of a custody cell in Queen Street police station. "Whether I get justice or compensation is irrelevant. Learning from hardship, adversity and struggling with injustice and mental health is the driving force to create something.
"I sank as low as I could and felt suicidal and now I want hope, joy and peace. With the energy I have now I can move past it all."
Ruairidh says he wants to take the negative experiences of his life and turn them around into something positive.
"I want to give something to the people of Scotland because when I needed help something like this didn't exist. That's why I want to build it."
