Have you ever had an "off" day? Then you already have a fundamental understanding of what happens energetically when a planet is retrograde. Each planet rules different areas of life. Just like when we are feeling a little "off", we don't get our stuff, the things in our "department" done properly, or in a timely manner, and are a little cranky about it, the retrograde planet behaves the same way. To better understand what happens in Mars retrograde, let's first take a look at Mars in its forward motion.