def set_initial_conditions(self, initial_distribution=None,
                               samples_file=None):
        """Sets the initial starting point for the MCMC.

        If a starting samples file is provided, will also load the random
        state from it.
        """
        self.set_p0(samples_file=samples_file, prior=initial_distribution)
        # if a samples file was provided, use it to set the state of the
        # sampler
        if samples_file is not None:
            self.set_state_from_file(samples_file)
Sets the initial starting point for the MCMC.

        If a starting samples file is provided, will also load the random
        state from it.