How do you guard your energy?

Energy is a big topic. There is the energy of the therapist, the person receiving and the energy of the two people together.
Like in any situation you can enter into an exchange where the person sucks you dry or gives you a boost. In the intimate relationship of massage that exchange is even more tangible and sometimes it is hard to know where you end and the other begins. It has been said by John Upledger and other body workers that in order to protect yourself, "never let the energy get past your elbow." The energy can be heat or even pain. But I have found that if it is a mood it travels faster.
Over the years I have had my own techniques to protect myself and clear away what does not belong to me. I meditate between sessions, wipe away the energy and wash my hands in cold water; to name a few. However, sometimes the person's energy invades me so fast that occasionally I feel what is theirs and I can't tell if it belongs to me. I've learnt that when the person I am massaging is dealing with the same emotion that I am, it becomes very difficult to distinguish.
The therapist is very vulnerable and has to learn to guard their energy and preserve their strength?
How do you guard your energy???
The relationship during massage is a symbiotic one. Through a kind of 'aura' that is subconscious, the client lets us know how deeply we can enter. As well, through our 'aura' we dictate how far we will go. Some massages that I give are as boring as a cracker, a simple recipe that could be acted out by a robot or a vending machine, could we create such a thing. Other massages are organic and artistic and involve movement and pressure and can invoke a deeply emotional creation for both the receiver and the therapist. Of course be hope for more art and less recipe, but the reality is the opposite.
On the rare occasion that I am given permission to do what I want (i.e. what the body dictates), the results are intense and beautiful and always very positive and encouraging. Those gems get me through the daily grind and all the other problems and complaints.
I am blessed for everyone who I have been able to massage and exchange with, art or recipe, I am grateful.
Please tell me about your most wonderful exchanges. I'd love to know.