Documentation Guide — Recording Practice and Progress¶
Purpose¶
Documentation transforms individual experience into collective knowledge.
It enables pattern recognition, validates methods, and holds the Circle accountable to its principles.
This guide explains what to document, how to document it, and how to use the tools that support the practice.
Documentation is not bureaucracy. It is attention made visible.
The Documentation App¶
The Practice Circle provides a web app for documenting practice:
https://practice-circle.softr.app
Features¶
- Add to home screen — works like a native app on mobile devices
- Daily practice logs — record sessions with observations and context
- Progress tracking — view patterns over time
Getting Started¶
1. Create Your Account¶
Visit https://practice-circle.softr.app and sign up with your email.
Enter your email and follow the sign-up process. Once registered, you can access the app from any device.
2. Add to Home Screen (Mobile)¶
For quick access on your phone, add the app to your home screen — it works like a native app.
On iOS: 1. Open the app in Safari 2. Tap the Share button 3. Select "Add to Home Screen"
On Android: 1. Open the app in Chrome 2. Tap the three-dot menu 3. Select "Add to Home screen" or "Install app"
3. Log Your First Practice Session¶
After practicing, record what you observed:
To add a record: 1. Tap the orange "Add record" button 2. Fill in the form: - Activities Performed: Select your practice type (e.g., Standing Meditation) - Context: Describe what you noticed (physical sensations, mental state) - Observed Effects: Note any changes or insights - Duration in Minutes: How long you practiced 3. Tap "Add" to save
Remember: Record observations, not interpretations.
4. Track Your Progress¶
View your practice patterns over time on the Dashboard:
The dashboard shows: - Total days and hours practiced - Average daily practice time - Monthly trends in a visual chart - Activity breakdown by type
Use these metrics to recognize patterns and stay accountable to your practice.
5. Connect with Circles¶
Create or join practice circles to share documentation with your group:
To join a circle: 1. Navigate to "Circles" in the top menu 2. Search for circles by location or name 3. Request to join
To create a circle: 1. Click "Create a Circle" 2. Fill in details (country, city, meeting time, address) 3. Optionally add a circle photo 4. Invite members
App Philosophy¶
The app is a minimum viable product (MVP) — a starting point, not a finished system.
Features will evolve based on what practitioners actually need.
Current Limitations: - Basic analytics only - Limited social features - Simple text-based logs
Future Development: - Self-hosted database / migrate away from low-code platform - Better user interface and user experience - Native Android and iOS apps - Voice notes for quick logging - Pattern recognition algorithms - Facilitator-specific functionality (session planning, member management) - Treasurer functionality (expense tracking, contribution management) - Circle-specific shared insights - Integration with wearable devices
Your feedback shapes the tool. Report issues or suggest features through the GitHub repository.
What to Document¶
Daily Personal Practice¶
After each solo practice session, log:
Core Observations¶
- Duration — how long you practiced
- Form — standing, sitting, walking, other
- Physical sensations — tension, warmth, trembling, stability
- Breath changes — faster, slower, deeper, irregular
- Mental state — restless, calm, distracted, focused
- Challenges — what was difficult
Context (Optional but Valuable)¶
- Sleep quality the night before
- Stress level (work, relationships, health)
- Time of day
- Recent meals, caffeine, alcohol
- Physical activity before practice
- Weather (if relevant)
Record observations, not interpretations.
✓ Good: "Shoulders relaxed after 10 minutes; breath slowed naturally"
✗ Avoid: "Energy flowed through my meridians"