"so the conscensus is that shitting outside in the freezing dark of a winter night is good for the soul. So tomorrow I'm going to spruce up the outside lavvy and seek enlightenment therein."

Well, you could always use it to house various psychologically disturbing tomes of Freud and confront or indeed conjour your err, well whatever it is that is supposed to lurk in dark smelly places. Even Enlightenment perhaps? Stock it up with Freud, Poe, Lovecraft, Genet and Bataille and read by candlelight late at night. At least you'll never be caught short anyway - old paperbacks are very absorbent.