Is the Prayer of Examining Beneficial?

Do you ever do something like the prayer of examination? I remember doing this in seminary a little bit when we were willing to dabble in Catholic spirituality, which was rare. A each morning I spend 20 minutes in silence. And part of the holy silence for me is that when I am quiet, it allows my true desires to come to the surface. It's almost like going being quiet, the rats don't come out until everybody's asleep.