The Art of Remembering: Why Stepping Into Your Power Is the Mission of a Lifetime – An Interview with Joan of Angels

How does a chiropractor end up channeling messages from the angels?

For Joan of Angels, there was never a clean line between the two. For nearly twenty years, she ran a busy chiropractic practice, and she noticed she ended almost every session by telling her patients she had just turned on their light, turned up their power, turned up their force. It would take her years to realize she had been describing something real. She was switching on the spark inside them.

When an injury ended her practice, that gift did not disappear. It deepened. A voice she had trusted since childhood, the same one that had sent her to chiropractic school in a single day, began guiding her toward the angelic realms. She painted 33 angels in 30 days. A stranger in a café told her who she really was. And the woman once known as Dr. Joan Hangarter stepped into a much larger name…Joan of Angels.

In this conversation, Joan shares how she helps people activate their own gifts, why she believes we are all being shaken loose from the old world to build a new one, and what she means by our deepest mission simply being to remember who we are.

Whether you are sure of your purpose or still searching for it, this conversation will leave you believing it is not too late to step into yours.

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What do you sense is unfolding on our planet right now with all that’s going on in our world? There’s some good stuff and some challenging stuff, right? So from your perspective, what do you sense is unfolding?

Joan of Angels: It’s funny because as you were asking that question, I was about to say we’re going through a lot of transformation—dissolving the old and creating the new. Then suddenly I saw the image of a blender. It feels like we’re all being blended together. All of these different elements are coming together to create the New Earth.

We’re in the Aquarian Age now. Our systems, our support structures, our finances—everything will look different in this new era. It won’t resemble the old systems we’ve known. Right now, though, it feels like we’re in that blender. That’s the kind of shaking up we’re experiencing, and for many people, it’s traumatizing. It feels chaotic.

Since 2020, there’s really been no such thing as normal anymore. We’re never going back to the way things were. It’s as if we’ve been in a cocoon for years, still being shaken and transformed. But I think we’re beginning to emerge now and will continue doing so over the next couple of years.

By 2030, I believe many new systems will be in place—systems aligned with ascension and the New Earth. More people will be growing their own food. More people will understand that health begins within the body. Many of the structures that have held us back as a society will begin to dissolve.

I want to hear about your own journey of awakening to consciousness, mindfulness, and spirituality. If you wouldn’t mind taking us back to your childhood, did you grow up with some sort of faith experience, or did that come later in life for you?

Joan of Angels: Oh my God, no, I did not.

I was born into a conservative Jewish family, but my childhood was very traumatic. As I often tell people, I spent most of my time hiding in closets. Even today, I find myself moving between being very visible and out in the world and then feeling like I need to retreat for a year.

That experience shaped a lot of who I became. I was an introvert, but I loved people. I was also an empath. If I knew someone was hurting, I would do whatever I could to help them. Years later, that desire to help and heal people led me to become a chiropractor. I cared deeply about helping others feel better and doing the best I could for them.

Did you pursue that right out of high school, or where did your path lead you?

Joan of Angels: Oh my God, my path was quite unusual.

One of the things I teach now is how to discover what you’re here to do, and that’s become a theme in my life because I struggled with it for so long. When I was younger, I genuinely thought I was going to die at twenty-eight because I couldn’t envision my future. I couldn’t see anything beyond that age, so I assumed my life would somehow end there.

When I was twenty-six, I was guided to move to Los Angeles and join a spiritual community called the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness. It was a radical shift, and my family had no idea what to do with me. But I felt deeply drawn to spirituality, so I moved into the community’s ashram.

How and where did you meet these people?

Joan of Angels: I met a woman in New York who was involved with the movement. At the time, I was finishing my master’s degree in counseling. The day I graduated, I packed up and moved to California a week later to join the ashram.

My father had passed away a few months earlier. He had been very controlling, and in many ways, I felt like I had finally been set free. So I moved to California, immersed myself in the community, became a minister, and eventually became an initiate.

One night, I attended a seminar at actress Lee Taylor-Young’s house. We were asked to state our intentions, and I said, “By the time I leave here tonight, I want to know what I’m supposed to do with my life.”

Then I heard a voice. I often hear guidance, and this voice said, “Go to chiropractic school.”

The very next day, I enrolled.

Had you been exposed to chiropractic care before that?

Joan of Angels: Yes. When I was thirteen, my father took me to a chiropractor, so I was familiar with it. I was also working in a chiropractic center in Santa Monica at the time.

The interesting thing is that I had never seriously considered becoming a chiropractor because my father was convinced I could only be an elementary school teacher. That was the path he had envisioned for me.

But here’s the irony. My grandfather had recently passed away, and the day I came home after enrolling in chiropractic school, there was a check waiting for me from his estate. It covered my first semester’s tuition.

That’s how I began my journey as a chiropractor.

Did you stay a part of this spiritual community for quite some time? What was that like?

Joan of Angels: That’s an interesting story. I graduated in 1980 and moved to Northern California. Around that time, a lot of things were happening within the movement. Some former members came forward and began exposing what they saw as deception and spiritual manipulation within the leader’s inner circle. Certain behaviors that hadn’t been openly discussed before started coming to light.

As a result, I decided to leave the movement. The leader, John-Roger, actually sent me a letter afterward that was filled with so much anger I couldn’t believe it. But I stood my ground. I stepped away and continued searching for my own spiritual path through chiropractic care and other avenues of personal growth.

What I learned during those years was profound. I discovered how the innate intelligence within us—what many people call the Higher Self—communicates directly through the body. I learned that when the nervous system is properly aligned, we’re able to connect more deeply, meditate more easily, and support our overall well-being.

I also learned what happens when we’re not in alignment—when the body, mind, and spirit are disconnected. That understanding changed the course of my life. Even though I no longer actively practice chiropractic care, I still think like a chiropractor. I have what I call a chiropractic wellness brain.

How many years did you practice?  What did that look like?

Joan of Angels: I opened my own practice the first year after receiving my license. I had a wonderful practice in the heart of Berkeley and continued working there until about 1998.

Then I suffered an injury and was forced to retire from practice. That led me down a very different path, including a lawsuit that I eventually won against one of the country’s largest insurance companies.

During that period, I came to a deeper realization about my life’s purpose. I understood that my work wasn’t just about helping people physically—it was about helping them align their bodies, minds, and spirits so they could live their best lives. That’s really been the foundation of everything I’ve done since.

After 1998, how did that change the way you served people? You’d been helping people through chiropractic care for years. What did serving people look like after that transition?

Joan of Angels: After 1998, I went through a very difficult period.

I had lost everything. I went from being financially secure to being completely destitute while raising my two children. There was a tremendous amount of trauma during that time.

I remember driving to the Golden Gate Bridge one day. It was pouring rain, and I was sitting in my car feeling completely overwhelmed. Then I had a vision. Suddenly, I saw myself surrounded by twelve angels.

They asked me, “Joan, have you fulfilled your mission on Earth?”

I broke down. I was sobbing uncontrollably. Imagine telling your angels that Earth was simply too hard—that you couldn’t do it anymore, that you had failed and wanted to go home.

But what happened next changed everything.

The angels gave me what I jokingly call an “angel slap.” They woke me up. They helped me remember who I was and why I had come here. They reminded me that my true mission was to help people step into their power and remember who they really are.

That experience gave me the confidence to rebuild my life and step into a completely new role.

After that, I wrote a book about miracles. My children and I created something called the Miracle Makers Club. Together, we learned how to visualize and manifest the life we wanted. Every night, we’d imagine our future and focus on what we wanted to create.

And it worked.

We manifested a new home with a basketball court and a swimming pool. More importantly, we created a new life. Eventually, I began teaching others how they, too, could step into the miraculous.

How old were your children during that transition?

Joan of Angels: They were eight and ten, and honestly, they became my greatest teachers.

One night, my daughter looked at me and said, “Mom, when we get our money back, can we travel around the world teaching this so other families and children don’t have to suffer the way we did?”

That moment stayed with me.

I went on to write a book about the Miracle Makers Club and began teaching about miracles. Eventually, I connected with the people at the Conscious Life Expo, and from there, I just kept going.

Nothing stopped me after that.

I finally began to understand what I was here to do. My work became centered on helping people discover who they are, why they’re here, how to activate their soul blueprint, and how to awaken the gifts they came into this lifetime to share.

Were there any resources or teachers during that transitional period, as you were coming back, that were especially helpful to you?

Joan of Angels: That’s an interesting question. In many ways, I’m self-taught.

My cousin is a bestselling author, and I remember her once telling me, “When I’m writing a book, I don’t read what anyone else is writing because it’ll influence my thinking.” She’s a fiction writer, but that idea really resonated with me.

When I write about miracles or share the processes I’ve developed, I want them to come directly from my own connection with Spirit rather than from something I’ve read elsewhere. Because of that, I don’t always dive deeply into what other people are teaching or writing. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but it’s important to me that the information comes through as purely as possible.

You call yourself Joan of Angels these days. You mentioned that the angels gave you a bit of a talking-to at the bridge. Why did you take on the name Joan of Angels?

Joan of Angels: That’s very astute of you. And yes, they’ve had to talk to me several times over the years. The last time was in 2020.

Back in 2013, I had moved back to Los Angeles and, honestly, I was feeling pretty out of balance. I was praying for a miracle—specifically a financial miracle. Then I heard a familiar voice, the same one that had once told me to go to chiropractic school.

The voice said, “Paint thirty-three angels in thirty days.”

I immediately started making excuses. I said, “No, oil paints smell. It’ll be too much work.” Then I reminded them that I wasn’t really an artist. I had dabbled in painting, but my artwork certainly wasn’t winning any awards.

The voice repeated itself.

Then it said it a third time.

By then, I knew I had to say yes.

So I painted thirty-three angels in thirty days. Afterward, I displayed them in what became my angel loft. One day, a book literally fell off a bookshelf and opened to a page that said, “Your call for angelic assistance has been heard.”

That experience launched me into a deep exploration of the angelic realms. I began channeling messages, painting intuitively, and learning to trust guidance in a completely new way. Sometimes the angels would have me close my eyes and paint purely from trust.

The paintings carried an incredible energy.

At one point, I asked, “What am I supposed to do with all of these?”

The answer was, “Paint us, and we will come.”

And they did.

People were drawn to the paintings, and extraordinary experiences began unfolding around them. It was powerful and transformative.

A few years later, Archangel Gabriel guided me to move to the desert so I could hear more clearly. Within a month, I relocated to the Palm Springs area, where I lived for seven years.

On my second day there, I was introduced to a woman in a busy café. She asked my name. I started to say, “Dr. Joan Hangarter,” and she immediately stopped me.

She said, “Say nothing. I know who you are.”

Suddenly, everything around me seemed to stop.

Then she said, “You’re Joan of Angels.”

That’s how the name came into my life.

Wow. How did she know that? How did she see that?

Joan of Angels: Some people simply have eyes to see.

Maybe she was guided to tell me. I honestly don’t know. But what I do know is that it took me seven years to grow into that name fully.

Being given a name doesn’t automatically mean you’ve embodied it.

Joan of Angels became an avatar for me—something larger than my personal identity. It represented stepping into a bigger role, a larger purpose, and a broader mission of service.

For me, the journey has really been about coming out of the closet and allowing myself to be seen.

Many people listening feel that same calling, but they also feel held back or hidden. What has it taken for you to step into who you are?

Joan of Angels: First of all, if that’s you, I’m an expert in it because I’ve lived it.

One of the philosophies I live by is “chop wood, carry water.” It’s a reminder that once you’ve committed to your path, you keep showing up. You do the work. You don’t run away from it.

I remember launching my show, Miracle Monday. On the day of one episode, a close friend died while traveling to visit me. I was devastated. I didn’t want to do the show.

At my core, I’m actually very shy.

As I stood there, I had a vision of him holding a sword, almost as if he were saying, “You can’t turn back now.”

That image stayed with me.

Whenever I felt like quitting, I would remember it. I would remember that I had committed to something bigger than my fears.

So I kept showing up.

The practical side of that is returning to the basics. Chop wood. Carry water. Come back to the foundation. Do what needs to be done.

I hosted that show for three or four years, and while I loved it, there were many days when I had to talk myself into showing up.

So I’m hearing that you have to take action even when you don’t feel like it. What kept you going when you felt shy or unmotivated?

Joan of Angels: During 2020, there was a period when I started doubting myself. Everyone around me seemed to be falling apart, and I wondered if I was supposed to fall apart too.

Then my guides said something that completely changed my perspective.

They asked, “Joan, do you think you’re the only Joan of Angels on the planet?”

And then they said, “If you don’t want to do this work, just let us know. Thousands of people would gladly take your place.”

That was another one of those angel wake-up calls.

It reminded me that this isn’t just about me. It’s about the energy and mission I’ve agreed to carry.

I committed to being more than just Joan. I committed to serving as an inspiration and a source of healing. Remembering that helped me move forward.

Who are the people reaching out to you for support these days, and what challenges are they usually facing?

Joan of Angels: I work primarily with women, although I certainly work with men as well.

Many of the people who come to me are at a transition point in life. Maybe their children have left home. Maybe their careers are changing. Maybe they simply know there’s something more they’re meant to do, but they can’t quite access it yet.

I understand that feeling because I lived it myself.

My work is about helping people align their body, mind, and spirit so they can reconnect with the gifts they came here to share and begin living their fullest selves.

How does your background as a chiropractor influence the way you coach and support people today?

Joan of Angels: That’s a great question.

When I was a chiropractor, every adjustment ended the same way. I’d tell my patients, “We’ve just turned on your power. We’ve turned on your light.”

A few years ago, I realized I was saying something very similar after coaching sessions.

I tell people, “We’ve just turned on your light.”

That’s really what the work is about—activating the energy within you so you can become more fully yourself.

My background in chiropractic taught me a great deal about energy, alignment, and how to increase someone’s vibration. There are specific techniques I learned that I still use with clients today.

I also continue doing energetic or esoteric chiropractic work when appropriate, even online. It helps people realign physically and energetically.

And beyond that, I believe deeply in healing from the inside out. I’m passionate about nutrition, organic foods, and supporting the body naturally because I believe our physical health directly affects our ability to live at a higher vibration.

One of the primary ways you help people is through what you call a Soul Vision Activation Session. What is that experience like?

Joan of Angels: We usually begin by looking at where someone is energetically in the present moment.

Then we explore their gifts, their potential, and what may be blocking them from fully expressing who they are. Together, we release what no longer serves them and move through a series of activations and affirmations designed to help elevate their energy.

The goal is to help people experience a higher vibrational state and learn how to access it for themselves.

Every session is unique, but people often leave with greater clarity, greater confidence, and a stronger sense of direction. They begin to see how to move forward with the dreams, goals, and visions they’ve been carrying for years.

I get the sense that you have the ability to believe in people when they don’t believe in themselves. Is that part of your gift?

Joan Of Angels: Yes, absolutely. You’re very perceptive, David.

One of the things I naturally do is help people believe in themselves because I can see their beauty, their gifts, and their potential—sometimes before they can see it themselves. I can often see exactly what’s possible for them, and I genuinely want to help them achieve it.

Part of my work is holding that vision for people until they’re ready to step into it themselves. That’s why I mentor and coach people through longer programs. Imagine what can happen when someone holds a vision for your highest potential for six months, helping you refine it, strengthen it, and fully step into it.

One of the ways you also serve humanity is through expos and events. How did that come into your life, and how are you serving people in that way today?

Joan of Angels: It’s actually kind of a funny story.

Back in the early 2000s, I helped co-produce a TEDx event in West Hollywood. I had almost forgotten about that chapter of my life. But the real journey into events began through my friendship with Neil from Portal to Ascension.

Neil and his wife used to come to my house all the time, and we’d spend hours talking about the future of Portal to Ascension. In those early days, the organization was still finding its footing, and I would often help him envision where it was headed. In many ways, I became his oracle.

One night, he asked me, “Joan, I’m putting on a conference. Would you like to co-host it with me?”

Ironically, what I really wanted was to be invited onto his stage as a speaker. At the time, I was doing oracle card readings, tarot work, and teaching about miracles. Neil wasn’t quite ready to put me on the platform as a presenter.

Why was he so hesitant?

Joan of Angels: I think it simply took time for him to trust me as a speaker.

Today, I’m one of his regular presenters, and he loves my talks. But back then, I think he was still figuring out how my work fit into the larger vision. Maybe he thought I was going to start doing tarot readings from the stage. Who knows?

But he did start inviting me to help with conferences.

The first event we worked on together was actually a psychedelic conference. Then we organized a cannabis conference. Because I was living in the Coachella Valley at the time, I knew many key people in the industry and was able to bring in some incredible speakers and professionals.

The conference was a huge success.

After that, Neil kept inviting me to participate in more events—the Kundalini Conference, the Crystal Skulls Conference, the Atlantis Conference, and many others. Before I knew it, I had become deeply involved in producing conferences.

Eventually, Neil said, “I know you’re ready to leave the desert. Why don’t you put your things in storage and come on the road with us?”

And that’s exactly what happened.

It was perfect.

What did life on the road actually look like? Where did you go, and what were you doing?

Joan Of Angels: For years before it happened, I would jokingly tell Neil, “I see myself traveling with you someday.”

Every time I said it, he would look at me like I was crazy.

The funny thing is, I wasn’t trying to predict anything. It would just come out of my mouth.

So when it finally happened, I wasn’t completely surprised.

We began in Mount Shasta and spent several months there. Various speakers, teachers, and friends would come stay with us. It became this beautiful experience of community and connection.

Later, I met up with Neil and Alan in Mexico, where we began planning a trip to Egypt. That was one of my favorite parts of the experience because, despite being shy, I’m also a people person. I thrive in community.

For many years, I hadn’t experienced that kind of connection, and it felt incredibly nourishing.

Together, we produced conferences in places like Glastonbury and San Diego, and we led two tour groups to Egypt. Those experiences were profound.

Eventually, our paths diverged because I also needed to focus on my own work as Joan of Angels.

Then last August, Neil called me again.

He said, “I’m thinking about acquiring New Living Expo. Will you come help?”

How could I say no to Portal to Ascension and the Mystery School?

That’s how I found myself back in the world of event production.

I don’t love all the logistical details these days, but I absolutely love the people. I love creating the vision, shaping the experience, and helping bring people together. It’s one of my happy places.

As someone who attended New Living Expo this year, I have to say it was absolutely amazing. You all did a fantastic job, and it’ll be exciting to watch it continue growing in the years ahead.

Joan Of Angels: Thank you.

I always enjoy working with Neil. I have a deep connection to the ancient mystery school traditions, and I love the direction Portal to Ascension is moving in. Being part of that vision has been a real joy for me.

What’s a question I haven’t asked you that you wish I had?

Joan Of Angels: That’s actually a question I ask my own guests, and it’s a challenging one.

I think the most important thing I’d want to leave people with is this: we’re here to remember who we are.

Our greatest purpose is remembering who we are, stepping into our light, and having the courage to hold it.

As I mentioned earlier, there was a time when I forgot who I was. And when we lose ourselves, the people around us can lose their way too, because we all affect one another.

I’ve come to believe that our primary mission in life is this process of remembering.

For some people, it may take an entire lifetime to remember their power, their gifts, and why they came here. But that journey matters.

Especially now.

As we move through these coming years, we’re entering a time that many of us came here specifically to experience. If you’re alive and functioning today, it’s because you still have something meaningful to contribute. You likely have gifts that haven’t even been fully explored yet.

This is your time to discover them.

I often see Gaia, Mother Earth, as an orchestra. Every one of us is an instrument within that orchestra.

If an oboe is out of tune, it affects the entire performance.

But when each instrument is tuned and playing its part, the whole orchestra comes into harmony.

That’s what we’re being asked to do—personally and collectively.

Tune ourselves.

Remember who we are.

And share our gifts with the world.

This is your time to shine.

What’s the best place for people to connect with you, book a session, and follow your work?

Joan of Angels: I make it very simple. Everything is Joan of Angels.

If you visit JoanOfAngels.com, you’ll find my services, programs, and ways to connect with me. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Instagram is where I’m most active right now, although I’ll be reactivating my YouTube channel soon. I also host programs with Neil and interview many fascinating speakers, so some exciting things are coming up.

Joan, thank you so much for sharing your story and for all the ways you’re making a difference in the world. It’s been wonderful having you with us today.

Joan Of Angels: Thank you. And David, you’re a wonderful interviewer.

I love how you helped tell my story from the very beginning. Very few people take the time to do that. You have such a warm and engaging style, and I genuinely enjoyed this conversation.