How to make a Constellation

Constellations are a simple way to use visual and spatial metaphors to describe how our different ideas, emotions and memories relate to each other.
This activity is a step by step guide to creating a simple Flunstellas constellation that centres around the ideas, emotions and memories of one individual.
 

Step 1 - Choose a character

Choose an individual, real or fictional, to centre your Flunstella constellation around.
Mark a position in the space you are using to represent the centre of their constellation, you can ask them to stand there, or place a marker.

Step 2 - Stimulus

Decide on a stimulus for the individual at the centre of your constellation to respond to, this can involve story telling, drama, imagery, or a question.
 

Step 3 - Creating Flunstella Objects

Create some Flunstellas objects that can be positioned in space. It is important that each Flunstella represents a particular idea, emotion or memory, so that you can use the object to plot where you think that idea, emotion or memory 'is' or 'should be' in space.
It's also a good idea to draw/write the content of each Flunstellas on it so it is easy to tell which is which.
Constellations are more interesting when the various Flunstellas they are populated with relate to each other in interesting ways.
For example...
    •    Some could be all created in response to an initial stimulus, as you would with a mind map.
    •    Some could follow a more conventional train of thought or narrative.
    •    Some could be free-associated
    •    Some could explore causal connections - what happens next?
    •    Some could put others in constext and explain what they mean.
    •    Different sub-constellations could explore different ways of thinking and feeling.

A constellation is in it's very nature non-linear, take the opportunity to let your thoughts, memories & emotions jump around and sprawl off in different directions, exploring the different ways you think and feel.

These can be made of anything that you can position easily in 3D space e.g.
    •    Plastercine/papier mache etc, to be suspended from the ceilling.
    •    Helium Balloons to float in space
    •    Models to be positioned in 3D space using tools such as Blender or SketchUp.
For example you might want to develop a visual language to describe different kinds of ideas, emotions and memories using activities like those below.

Step 4 Define your spatial metaphors.

Which spatial metaphors do you want to experiment with?
It is important that these spatial metaphors invented by and negotiated between the people who are making the Flunstella Constellation.
 
Vertical
What might the postitioning of your Flunstellas either higher or lower in space mean?
e.g. Higher might mean happier / Lower might mean sadder.
e.g. Higher might mean thoughts you are very aware of / lower might mean thoughts that you are less aware of.

How close?
Imagine a circular target radiating out from the centre of your constellation.

How close do you position the different Flunstellas to the character that they belong to?
What might this mean?

e.g. The closer the Flunstella is to the character it is thought by, the more intensely it is felt / The futher away it is the less intensely it is felt.
e.g. The closer the Flunstella is the more it is to do with the character and their sense of identity / The futher away it is the less it has to do with the character and their identity.
 

Step 5 Placing your Flunstellas.

Use whatever device you have decided upon to position the different Flunstellas in space.
Add them one at a time.
Use the spatial metaphors that you have chosen as a guideline, but as this is a kinaesthetic activity, it's o.k. to place things instinctively, and then reflect on why you might have placed them where you did later, if that makes sense to you.

Step 6

As you add more Flunstellas you can start to place them in space in relation to one another.
E.g. This (white) Flunstella which is about 'My memory of trying to run like a gazelle on the field when I was 8 years old' is closer to my sense of self than my (yellow) memory of 'the blue t-shirts I had to wear working for a bookstore' so I'm going to place it closer to myself.

Step 7

As you add more Flunstellas the spatial relationships can become more complex and interdependant. As this happens often start to develop more relativistic relationships between the Flusntellas.

E.g. This memory of  'The taste of the coffee that my Gran put on my dinner, by mistake instead of gravy' is just as close to my sense of self as 'My memory of trying to run like a gazelle on the field when I was 8 years old'  but it's nothing like it, so I'm going to place it around the other side of myself.

Once you have positioned a few Flunstellas, as shown in the diagram below, give yourself time to reflect on the ideas, memories and emotions in front of you.

Think about the spatial realtionships betwen them, let your mind wander in other directions and add some more thoughts to the constellation.
 

Step 8 Avoiding

Would any of the ideas, emotions or memories you are positioning as Flunstellas, avoid one another?
Would they avoid anything/anyone else?

Use making the constellation as an opportunity to explore..
    •    The non-linear ways that we think and feel
    •    Which thoughts our mind positions closely together, and which it dissociates.
    •    How our mind does this.

This activity can be developed, by creating Flunstellas Constellations for more than one person in the same space.
You could also explore the different aspects of a persons personality by creating more than one constellation per person.
e.g. an angry constellation, or a more positive constellation.