Abstract Forgiveness is an existential and relational phenomenon that touches the core of human existence. It highlights how our ‘being-in-the-world’ is affected by our relationships and the violations that may occur within those relationships. Empirical research has shown that forgiveness can mitigate negative emotions, thereby enhancing self-esteem and improving one’s ability to navigate life’s challenges. Despite considerable research on the benefits of forgiveness for mental and physical health, there is an increasing demand for qualitative phenomenological studies that delve into forgiveness and its role in human transformation. This study aims to deepen our understanding of forgiveness by emphasizing its existential significance, specifically examining how the lived experience of forgiveness shapes individuals’ perceptions of the self and the world. The research question guiding this inquiry is: “What existential themes emerge in the process of forgiveness, and how do these themes contribute to human transformation as individuals articulate their personal journeys of forgiveness?” By analysing 20 narratives from The Forgiveness Project using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological psychological method, this study examines the role of forgiveness in personal and relational transgressions, particularly as experienced by survivors of relational trauma. The findings suggest that forgiveness entails liberating oneself from the pain and influence of past offences, cultivating compassion for both the perpetrator and oneself, and empowering individuals to shape their futures.

Abstract Ideas of work as a source of happiness and self-flourishing are ever-expanding in the literature of psychology, particularly positive psychology. These ideas have led to numerous academic texts exploring the notion of meaningful work, which sparks discussions about employees’ responsibility in achieving harmonious employment. While this view emphasizes the existence of work as fulfilling and personally satisfying, it also carries the danger of overlooking the societal, organizational, and relational dynamics that operate within work. These can potentially undermine subjective well-being or bring oppressive and negative conditions to the subject. In this paper, we draw on the ever-expanding psychological literature on meaningful work, while also highlighting the need for psychology to reexamine the understanding of the circumstances, experiences, and social structures of contemporary work. We do so by engaging with the reading of a literary text, Primo Levi’s The Wrench (1978). In the novel, the characters engage in conversations about work and are reminded of the quest for meaningful work, which makes life bearable. According to the characters’ perspective, work does not appear as a function for meaning per se (in a neoliberal sense), but rather, this is a privilege of a few who can love their work (in the sense, rhythmic, embodied, and socially structuring function stabilizing life). Using thematic reading of the text, we rediscuss the concept of work as a source of meaning and the conditions under which work can be experienced as meaningful. Our goal is to restore the balance in the understanding of meaningful work, considering its societal, organizational, and relational dynamics.