Another attempt:

- Consider the blocks as pigpen. Squares with Top Left triangle = a...i (top row = abc, middle = def, bottom = ghi), TR triangle = j..r, BR triangle = s..z (+ empty)
- "the journey inward begins here" If you want to journey inward, where do you begin? On the outside.
- The outer ring of the Aztec codes has 26 blocks, just like the number of letters in "The journey..." is 26.
- Where to start? First try: Top Left going counter clockwise (conform Aztec code)
- The outer ring then 'pigpen decodes' to: ohvxcptuzuryqfwvrvrfskkgqg

How then to transform:

ohvxcptuzuryqfwvrvrfskkgqg into:
thejourneyinwardbeginshere


It could be done using a One Time Pad or Vigenere (Vigenere with a key length equal to the message length is equivalent to an OTP)

ohvxcptuzuryqfwvrvrfskkgqg -> vigenere_decrypt(varoovchvwjluffsqrlxfsdczc) = thejourneyinwardbeginshere

I was hoping to find a more readable key, like dragon, fire or goldenfleece...

But anyway, let's try thhe next ring:

jahyto?xwwajhn.... and decode with the 'varoovchvwjluffsqrlxfsdczc' key from the outer ring: oaqkft?qbaryni... 


Several assumptions have been made:
- pigpen -> abc
- starting top left
- counter clockwise
- vigenere

So many variations could be tried.