"Centering Prayer techniques - the irony of
the whole movement, huh? - can certainly help here, but not without
isolation, entering the desert, cloistering ourselves for a bit. "

Sound like TM to me. Good for a little pick-me-up mid-day when you need a nap. Otherwise if your going to say a prayer, why not do it like your supposed to: with the BCP and on your knees?
gms+