Rift: Planar Focus and Planar Essences UPDATED

Telarapedia defines Planar Focus as a piece of equipment characters wear that has sockets in which planar essences are inserted (second link).
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Planar_Focus

Here is how they work (3rd paragraph).
http://rift.ign.com/articles/previews/7047/The-Telara-Times-Issue-1/p6/c1/

Planar currency
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2011/02/01/planar-currency-and-item-rundown/

Looks like planar essences are usually rift rewards .  They come in "greater" or "lesser" varieties which correspond to certain sockets or slots on the Planar Focus equipment. Two greater planar essences of the same family can't be equipped at the same time.
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Planar_essence

Currency isn't stored in your bags, it is stored in your Currency section of your Character window.   Read more about Planar Essences and Planar Focus in the online manual, pages 17 and 36.
http://www.riftgame.com/en/docs/RIFT_Manual_EN.pdf

Apparently you can buy Planar Essences and other items from Planar Goods Merchants located in Silverwood, Freemarch, Gloamwood, and Stonefield.  (They may be in other places.)  Sorry I don't have more precise location information.  This talks about other planar pieces ("planar" seems to mean items that come from rifts).
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2011/02/01/planar-currency-and-item-rundown/

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com